The New York herald., 1873-10-02
ART MATTERS.
Metropolitan Museum of Art-Opening
Yesterday.

Metropolitan Museum of Art-Opcning
Yesterday.
The Metropolitan Museum Of Art In Fourteenth
street was opened yesterday for the season, alter
having been closed Tor several months. 1t was not
very largely attended, but this can easily be &C
counted lor by the TACT that the city has not yet
been fully replenshed by returned citizens We
have so frequently and at such length dwet upon
the many beautiful and wonderful antiquities
and objects oil art to be found in this exhibition
that there is no very imperative reason tor re-
marking minutely upon them now. The entire
building has been perfectly cleaned during the
summer recess and everything is in exquisite order.
There are three grand departments which invite
attention. First and foremost come the Cyprus an
tquities discovered and brought hither by General
di Cesnola. These occupy the rooms on the first
and second floors in the east wing OF the building
and what was formerly the conservatory. Then
come the pictures loaned by the trustees and
those which have been removed hither
from the Museum on Fifth avenue. The
former are liz In number and the
latter 175. or the latter all, with the exception OF
one, were purchased in Europe in 1870, and became
exception Is .Sarah, Hagar and Abraham"
Which was presented to the Museum by n: M, Leon ION
mentioned In the catalogue were obtained
IN Brussels and the succeeding seventy-four in
Paris. NM. Etienne lie Roy, Leon Gauchez and A.
have vouched Tor the authenticity of almost all
or these pictures, which adOrn gallery
built expressly for them. The loaned collec-
Is ton OF pictures occupies the large apartment
the second story, Immediately over tine entrance
hall. The third great department which Is specified
consists OF china pottery and earthenware, OF vari
Gus descriptions, some times unique, generally beau
.iml, occasionally magnificent and always inter-
estlng; together with books dating back hundreds
| OF years, and superb oak carvings. The catalogue
to the Loan Exhibition OF pictures is as minute as
such catalogues generally are; that to the other
| pictures much more 1t contains the sub
| stance OF highly interesting and careful
| report, prepared by NM. lie Roy and
| Sanchez. The guide book prepared under the d.
rection OF General Ill Cesnola, Is not by any means
so full as Is desirable, but 1t is ample 1t could
| be made previous to his departure. 1t is
/ what 1t processes to be, general guide
| and not a particular informant. For those-and
! they are in the majorty-who are contented TO
take rapid and superficial view OF the 10000 arti
ces collected there, it is just the thing not atgu
| ing with nfntesima exactness Since every ar
| tlcle is labelled with It's name and the To-
| cality where it was discovered, the average
/ observer will not be at a loss Tor useful hints. A
! few fine specimens OF statuary have been con-
| trbuted by private parties Since the entire col
! lection Is one which anybody Of taste and
| intelligence will take more pleasure in
| inspecting the oltener he goes, this ref
erence. SO far from exhausting the subject. may be
| considered either as one OF many corollares to
| what we have already said, or brier introduc-
| tion to theme not less pleasant tnan important.