The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-02

room and it Is eagerly run up in price we should
be In error were we TO attribute tho fact merely
10 fashionable taste or passing caprice.
No in this instance the work Is admirable In Itself
and has only 10 be examined TO furnish at once an
explanation OF the high value that is attached TO
IT, Del Robpia, the inventor OF the relieves in
terra Gotta was already sculptor OF great talent.
as Is shown by the magnificent has relies which
decorate the organ or the Church OF Santa Maria
at Florence. when finding IN the slowness OF
execution which marble entails obstacle to his
arLIstIc ardor he conceived the idea or baking
the models which he mad prepared Tor his marble
or bronze works. ana thus he was led 10 the In
vention oil his enamelled terra Gotta relieves. IL
is needless TO say tnat he brought bear these
new compositions his great qualities sculptor.
His figures are all simple his attitudes nooe, and
full or quiet dignity his costumes elegant. anu
his color subdued He Is scarcely less to be adj
mIred in the material execution OF his works.
His coat OF enamel Is thin delicate and or
transparency OF tone which reminds one at once
or Parlan marble and ivory. After his death his
nephew Andrea ana Andrea's TOUR sons continued
to execute works IN the style, but not
OF the same excellence They preserved, IL Is
true Lucas secrets or manipulation, but their
designs were inferior In grace and purity, and
they preferred amplitude OF detail to simplicity.
The difference In the estimate formed OF their
works by connoisseurs Is therefore, easy to be
compre nended. In Luca del Robbla's the genius
OF the artist and the merit OF invention extort our
admiration. while in those OF his kinsmen we find
merely haeity or imitation, without 0 spark OF
inspiration.
BERNARD PALSY.
As I am writing on the subject OF the plastic
arts, must not omit to notice the eagerness
with which collectors hunt up every stray relic
OF Bernard Palsy, the humble potter, VINO, al
though he modestly styled himself "a worker in
clayn and spent many years or his lie in pow
erty and hardshps, was not the less great
artist and profound thinker TO him geological
science is largely indebted, Tor while he moulded
the admirable works which constitute the pride
and boast or the leading European museums at the
present day, he was closely investigating the en-
trails or the earth, and to his researches may
be said TO be due the first idea OF the artestan
we'll 1t was only after sixteen years or the
hardest LABOR and OF unheard OF dficulties that ne
succeeded In producing the beautiful works which
obtained Tor him the title or 'Inventeur des Rus
tiqnes Figuines du Roi," with a worldwide repu-
tation the tranquility OF mind induced by easy
circumstances. 1t is therefore not surprising that
collectors should exhibit passionate eagerness
TO possess themselves OF everything That issued
from his hand, the more especially when we take
into consideration the stimulus impaired TO their
taste by the admirable specimens OF his creations
lati. Foremost among these was
THE FLAGoN BELONGING TO II. DE RoTHsCHILD,
and which Is marvelously modelled that IL
seems rather to the chisel OF Banvenuto Cellini
than TO the mould OF the humble potter At that
same exhibition was to be found the largest col
lection OF specimens from the mandatory OF
Orion that probably was ever before brought
together. who tnat had the good fortune to ex-
anime 1t can ever forget the beautiful cup OF
al nNtZw.
and which was one OF che chief objects OF attrac-
ton in the colectlonP And yet the mandatory
which produced it was for a long time ignored.
ana is still unknown TO many amateurs and COL
lectors. II owed It's creation 10 the intelligent
caprice OF great lady and 10 the necessity In
mind py occupation after the death of her hus-
band. Helen d'HengIst, dame de Bolssy,
OF ORION to indulge her grief anu with ine
settled determination 10 pass the remainder
OF her lie IN solitude. she soon, however, found
ner time hang heavy on her hands: and, being
woman OF taste as well a. energy, she began TO
occupy MIN If the er rssdsn ss a.
OF ner potter and an artist number o: vases and
other kinds OF ornaments. the designs Tor whcn
were suggested BY herself sac even traced the
models ana superintended the manufacture or
these pieces, winch all bear ner cipher, or arms,
and winch she was IN the habit oil Offering as
presents TO ncr friends she DISPLAYED so much
taste ana elegance designs That the works
produced IRON them rival IN merit not merely
those OF Bernard Pallssy, but the finest
CREATIONS OF THE SAME KIND IN IVORY.
A cup belonging 10 Nine. de RothschliO, closely
resem Cling that Of Henry H., has Tor Its principal
ornament lizards, SO naturally executed that tLey
seem Toe nrst manifestation OF the idea winch
pervades the ..Fieuines Rusuques.r II Is mar
vel OF patent execution and perfect taste in or
pnncely acquisition TO when no Ordinary fortune
eau Ire. Chance may, course, again enaole
an amateur TO discover another OF these treasures
In some numole residence, tue owners OF which
are ignorant OF It's vaue, as IN the case OF toe
cup OF rock crystal. which was found In tue uouse
fnr ire and
sold again for $4,000 francs There u nothing
more snrprislng IL tnls tnan IN the
ENORMOUS PRICES
which are now oeins given Tor pictures that were
ormerly negiec ed or despised
AN AFFECTING INCIDENT.
And in TINS connection l reminded OF the
touching incident tod OF GreuZe, that Inner Ol
exceled by any painter OF our day. While sun
young man he nad assisted ut MIS- own trluin ohs,
ana nae sSs ss q pad me e1sa1
not prevent his being obliged, IN his old age, TO
dispose OF nis WORKS W public sale and 10 compel
him 10 say 10 tue spectators who passed them o.
with indifference. 'Iney are by ~. Greuze, the
Greuze OF La Crucne capee.' reproacniul aud
touening appeal which aid not serve MN much, Tor
the poor painter could not succeed IN getting more
than thirty or forty francs eacn for tnem. Pos
terity. however, has avenged him molly, and IL
was probably one or the works thus disdained
wnicn, originally purchased by iurniture broker
for iorty Irancs. brought three or four years aQo
the handsome price Vi 100. 0a0 francs.
COMMENTS IN THE SALON.
There are collectors OF all sorts, and their &C.
centriclties mrnIsn many pleasant theme Tor the
hd0ltuss OF the hOle Drouot. Thus the most
original feature o. The sale OIL Nestor RoQueplan,
tho why creator OF Figaro, was his colection OF
warming pans OF all epochs. IL was O happiness
TO nil 10 possess the utensils which mad warmed
the beds OF royal or celebrated women, aud ne
was inconsoaolo when DIaZ, IN search ike him
sell oil elements Tor tnis and strange arsenal
succeeded In anticipating hun In the possession
or tine bassinolfe or Maron Delorme. Ihave seen
pieces oil old tapestry and remnants OF silk or
velvet stutfs disputed with equal eQReruees.
TIE episodes Of this kind when took place
at the sale OF NJ. Sechan have furnished
topics OF amnsement aud gvssip ever since.
THIS gentleman, man oil refined taste
ugd ample means, had passed MS lie
Ia collecting all the most curious and interesting
articles winch had ivunu their way into the
auction rooms or luto the hanos or tue brokers'.
At no single private SALE perhaps, was there ever
fouud aese nb led such collection OF rare and
curious things. IL comprised Oriental aud euro.
pean arms VI the nnest workmanship, wrought
ana D1masceued iron ana steel Ornaments
brought from every country, Persian and Hispano.