The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-28
The 4utlaud daily Globs.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 90, 1874.
LErrEK FROM &. 10. CONGDON,
ESQ.
The Montpcnsier Paintings.

BosToN, OCT., II, 1874.
To Tie Editor of tie Globe. DEAR SIR
l thought perhaps it might interest your
numerous reaocrs 10 hear from the centre
OF gravity, or the CLUB" as Boston is usu-
ally termed | came here expressly to see
the collection of paintings now on exhibit
ton in the art galleries of the Athenpnum,
and comprising some sixty or seventy oil
paintings owned by the Duke de Montpen-
sier of Spain, and who has consented to
loan them to private individual for eXhi-
bition in this country, and Boston as usual
has secured the coveted prize. These pic
lures are quite ancienl some of them being
nearly 300 years old They are not only
old but exceedingly rare; although there
are but few of the great artists represented.
Murillo, Velasques, Herrera, Salvador, and
Rosa, are all that could aspire Or claim to
be masters. But the productions of the
brushes of Zurbaran, Boccanegra, Ribera,
Leal Ribatta, Morales, Sebastian de
Piombo, Simonsier, Bassano, Snyders,
Vandermenlen, Orrente, Lehman (HenrD
Granet, and Johameot, are net TO be met
with eyary day, neither do they c0mpale
unfavorably with many Of the productions
of the groat masters, but could not be con-
sdered chef-d'guyres of art. These pictures
vary in size from ten feet by eight, down TO
sixteen by twenty inches, and were painted
for different individuals at time not ante
rior to the year 1910 and not subsequent &c
1890. In the galleries there are older pic.
lures, also more modern ones, but are moi
included in the Montpcnsier collection.
The cartoon representing the era of the
Reformation is a beautiful thing in design
as well us in execution il is thirty feet
square, or nearly so, and embraces all tho
prominent characters of the Reformation
from Martin Luther down, including somC
of the peasantry. There are several Other
cartoons but very little smaller and nearly
as meritorious as the one mentioned above
There are also On exhibition in these gal
leries some one or two hundred other pie
lures, some very ancient, others Of more
modern date, all very excellent. There is
also some statuary, few bas reliefs from
Greece and Rome, ancient pottery and
mumies in cases from Egypt, ancient china
and sevres ware, etc. But the pictures en-
crossed almost wholly my attention, and
was so well pleased with my visit and so
much interested that | have ventured to
drop these few lines for the public eye,
thereby hoping that if any of the readers
of your paper should be travelling Boston
ward they would embrace this rare oppor-
tunity of seeing remarkable collection of
pictures, collection that eyinces rare taste
in the Duke de Montpensier for fine paint
ings. Should any Vermonters happen il
Boston would advise them by all means
to look at those pictures. This forenoon
visited the Massachusetts charitable asso
Citations fair, now being held in old Fan
eui hall. in connection with the QuincI
hall. This show is but little less interest
ing than the other but | shall have to re
serve description of 1t until my next
Truly yours
CnAs. II. CoNGDoN.