The national Republican., 1869-03-10
Communicated I


ART AND ARTIsrs.-The fabrication Of
false ancient masters has not always been
the special trade of needy dealers. A dis
tlnguished amateur of our tlme-one who
moved In the best circles OF society and
whose taste In the fine arts was patent to the
highest classes-did not scruple to pursue
the dishonorable course. The late Mr.. Zach
ary, 1t may be recollected, occupied the house
on the Adelphi Terrace, where the widow Of
David Garrlck had previously resided. Here
he possessed some pictures by the great
celebrities In art, which decorated the walls
OF his apartments, aud occasionally appeared
at the exhibitions Of the British Institution.
In the back drawing room stove was placed
In the centre of the floor, having no connec-
ton with the chimney, for the express inten-
tion that the smoke should ascend into the
room and circulate through every part. On
the ceiling iron rods were placed, to which
the copies Of his pictures were hung, resting
obliqucly on rails fixed lower down, as Mr..
Zachary found by experience that the copies
were best cooked into antiquity by remain
Ing over the stove at an angle Of forty-flye
degrees. Two poor artists were constantly
employed by him in the house to make copies
Of his fine pictures. Three months was about
the time to harden and discolor the paint on
these canvases, which then became similar
enough for deception to old pictures. Mr..
Zachary possessed a very fine picture BY
Hobbima, Of which he had at least a dozen
copies made, which were sent to various
parts OF Europe, where each may probably
figure at present as the real original of a
celebrated work by the great landscape
painter OF the Dutch school.
A lively French writer makes some very
pertinent rpmaFka national annnnis-
seurshlp. He says during his visit here,
(England,) he found the collections Of pic.
lures we possess so overloaded with the
names OF the greatest artists that ever lived
that he deemed II prudent on his part not to
venture among such suspicious gatherings
to see what could only be poor copies, often
acquired by prodlgality Of outlay savoring
OF a lamentable deluslon. He adds, 'the
number OF Murlllos / have seen manufac-
tured at Seville for the English market
makes me doubtful Of their Raffaelles and
Tltians, which frequently consist of little
more than half dozen layers of dirty var
nish upon an obscurely stained panel or can
vas, often richly and outrageously framed.
But the possessors are not the less happy In
their implicit belief that high art exists un-
der the obscurlty." Sad discoveries would
be made among many hundreds Of received
originals II these coatings of obscurlng dirt
were removed, and 1t is to perpetuate this
| delusion that Interested dealers proclaim II
the very essence Of tone and harmony.
II the increased intelligence of the lovers
OF art has led, as 1t happily has, to better
estimation OF the works Of the modern school,
the dishonest section of picture dealers has
not been idle, and forgeries arc null
titudinously rife Of all our popular living
artists. Until purchasers can judge Of fine
art by the qualities that constitute fine art,
these deceptions will always, to O certain ex-
tent, be successful. II has been over and
over again impressed on the public that the
true security is to buy direct from the painter.
There arc then none OF those misgiyngs or
future discoveries Of fraud which are both
humiliating to the possessor and damaging
to his Interest. It Is but Just to say that
there are few exceptions among the class
oil dealers In works Of art, whose integrity
and honor arc indlsputablc; and II Is much
to be lamented that SO delightful branch Of
commerce should be sullled by practices
allied to the iniquity of horse-dealing, gam.
bling, and swindliug.-LoRdon Art Journal.