Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-07
The stenersen Collection or Paintings

1.,I ID. o.
TO The Editor Of The StGr:
sIR:-In very able article on the steiner
sen collection, under the head of"Art Notes
10 to-days STAR, find the following para
graph; The whole collection, including the
two marbles and the large plaster cast, is
valued at about sis 0CO; but by whom this
Nalnatlon was made, or whether it was basel
on the original cost OF the pictures or on their
advised"
The values placed upon these paintings are
passed upon the prices paid for them by the
tate Mr.. Stenersen, according To his own
memOI anda now in my possession. In nearly
al instances. however, large deduction has
oten made; thus, To wit, the BIerStatt. for
winch he paid { 600, is placed at 500; the
nejonehe, for which he paid 1850 francs (or
$500, Is Placed at $500: aud the Ziem, which
cost him 5000 francs (about ,Ou0), is offered
for $780, or Just one-half of what he paid for
II. The two last named paintings would
readily bring those prices in Europe; so
would the Carrot ana the Dupre, which are
valued at $500 each, but for when Mr.. Ste
nerSen paid much larger amounts. your
critic erTs in stating that Carrots picture sold
last six years of his existence, they brought
prices which enabled him TO buy one of the
handsomest hotels in Faubcurg, st. Ger
main, and accumulate q fortune beside
So, upon the whole, / 10 not think that the
writer OF the article referred 10 ought to find
fault with The prices as ed, which. with one
or two exceptions, are considerably below
hat they originally cost.
But approaching the hard times, and the
cost of sending the pictures TO Europe, am
prepared 10 accept and consider any fair AID
bona tidc offer that may be made. L should
much prefer to see the collection, with
which am thoroughly familiar, remain IN
washington, even at reasonable sacriGce.
than TO see Ii scattered in New York. Bus-
ton and Europe, for i am convinced that
such would have been the desire of the late
Mr.. SteneTsen himself, vino was dearly at
tacDed 10 and took great pride in our ma
tiOnal capital.
Yours, respectfully. LOUIS BAGGER.
Attorney for the Estate.
THE writer Of Art Notes" after reating
the above, sees no occasion 10 change any
thing lie sale on the subjecI Ia THE SrAE %
Saturday. 1t is well known among those
familiar with the facts, that w 70 his six
tieth year COrot had acquired neither fame
nor fortune; and, although his lines fell in
pleasanter places after rea hing that re, IT.
is both substantially and technically tue
that, as a rule, Cup u tie time OF his death
his works brought very little, compare lively
speaking lie painted very rapidly, aud
panied q great many pictures, Yet was
Oifen on the verge OF starvation. Tne writer
did not Intend TO fiuj fault with the prices
asked, although he still adnerns 10 the OoiD-
ion that on the whole they foot up rather
round sum. The fact that Mr.. StenarSen pa!d
The price named for the COrOt IN 1UeStiGu
aLd for some OF the other pictures Cjtei, oaIv
proves that he, ike many other picture hrv-
ers. was likely 10 be influenced by he n0 7o
al the artist rather tGan gUiiPt nv the dual
hy OF ms No!K III making particular puE-
c. asses