Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-25
AN INTERESTING DISCOVERY.
The I.Ophf Lost TaDIeatry.

AN INTERESTING DISCOVERY.
The Long Lost Tapestry.
Tho Gazette dcs Bcaux Arts for
August contains very interesting let
ter from NJ. Paliard, in which he gives
IN account Of his discovery of the long
lost tapestry, woven from Raphacl's
cartoon Of tho correlation of tho Virgin.
1t was used for tho decoration of tho
high altar of tho Sistine Chapel, while
the other ton tapestries were suspended
along tho lower part of it's side wallis.
After Raphael had finished his immor-
tai cartoon Q515-1G) they wero sent to
Flanders. Tho tapestries woven from
them arrived in Rome in 1919, two
years before his death. Nine years
later, C52O when Rome was sacked by
the furious soldiers of the Constable de
Bourbon, they were stolen and carried
to France, where, after being offered
for sale at Lyons in 1880, they were
purchased by the Constable Anne de
Nontmorcncy, who in 1856 generously
restored them to Pope Julins III.
They remained at Rome until 1889,
when they were again abstracted from
Papal keeping and sold to certain
Jews, who snppos:ng that the gold
thread which entered into their compo-
sition was OF considerable value, de-
stroyed the one representing Christ's
descent to Limbo. Finding that the
amount of the precious metal which
they obtained from it was of little
value, they sold the other tapestries to
some Genevese merchants, who in their
turn dispasel of them to Pope Plus
VII, by whom they were once more
restored to the Votican in the year
1SC8. Since that time nine have hung
in the gallery of Plus ", but no one
knew what had become of the tenth.
Passavant. in his life of Raphael (vol ii. :,
2lD had suggested that it would per
haps be found rolled up, and forgotten
in some corner Of the Ponol
Palace, al idea which has happily been
verified by NJ. Paliard. After search
ing without success in the workshop in
the Vatican: where the tapestries used
III the SlStlne Chapel are kept and re-
paired, and fruitlessly visiting the
Pontifical factory ct s. Michele, where
many old tapestries are preserved, this
gentleman was about to give up in
despair, when a fortunate conversation
with one of the workmen terminated
his hopes. At this mans suggestion
he returned to the Vatican, and there.
III q room on the second story belonging
to the private apartments Of the Pope.
called the g Stanza della predica Del
famigliari, discovered the lost treasure
hanging on the wall, together with
seven other tapestries, one of which.
as representing Leonardo de Vinci's
Last Supper, is of peculiar interest.
AS nj. Paliard made his discovery on
the 9th of February, 1869, we are at n
loss to know why no has kept it secret
for four years. The Coronation of the
Virgin, which exactly corresponds to
the description taken by Passavant for
the Papal catalogue, is Unframed in
border OF flowers, fruits, birds, sirens,
and genii of small dimensions. The
subject is divided into three super.
posed rows Of figures, God the Father. I
with the clierubim Of the top, Christ.
the Holy Spirit, in the form Of a dove. |
and the Madonna. attended by angels.
IN the middle, and Saints John the
Baptist and Jerome with two angels at |
the bottom. These two saints were
here introduced in honor of Leol
x; st. John, because his real
name was Giovanna de Medici. and
st. Jerome with his faithful lion
because he took the name OF Leo K. on
his election. N. Paliard mentions a
drawing Of this composition at the AM
broslaa library, and another at Oxford,
both by Raphael. In the latter SIS.
Peter and Paul occupy the places after
wards given 66. John and Jerome. One
popularity Of the newly found tapestry
il that, unlike the other tapestries, in
which the drawings are reversed, this |
Is woven on the same sense as the car
tqon. The reason is clear, for other |
wise God the father would have been
represented as giving the benediction |
with the left hand, and holding the
globe OF the world in his right; the Vir.
gin would have been seated to the left
OF our LORD, who would have crowned
her with his left hand, and St. John.
besides giving up the place of honor to
Jerome, would have pointed to the
Divine Lamb with his left hand.
Now that the tapestry has been
found, one cannot help hoping that
the lar more valuable discovery of the
cartoon from which it was woven will
some day be made. OF this, however,
there is but little hope, not only on
account OF it's comparative frugality,
but also because IN this case it will |
have escaped even greater perils than
those which only seven out of the
eleven have survived. "Their survival
under the barbarous treatment they
have received u.s." says the Academy.
y us remarkable as that of some of the
weak, detenceiess species Of animals in
the Darwinian account of the struggle
for existence" Cut into strips and
prlcked with pin holes for the use of
me werkmen, they remained rolled up
n the Flemish factory until 1929, when
tsatens, then ambassador from the
Isabella of Spain to the
English court, spoke of them to Charles
l., and at his request obtained them
Tor Whitehall. After the revolution.
thanks to Cromwell, they we're pur-
chased by the government fr $500 and
placed at Hampton Court, y: :nce, on
account OF the danger from. fire to
Whlcti they were exposed, they have
oeen lately removed to South Kensing-
ton.-Boston 1dUcrtiscy.
The Prize Package Boys Dream in a
Church.
One of tue most alarming cases of
with which we are
familiar is that Of the prize packaee