The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-21
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM ON ART.

PREPARING TO ABANDON THE OLD DOUGLASS
MANSION IN FOURTEENTH sTREET-REM-
INIsCENcEs OF THE BUILDING.
The interior of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
in West Fourteenth street, presents busy and
unwonted scene. When the last guest stepped from
its broad hall into the storm last Friday night the
doors were forever closed to the public. and when
its art treasures again displayed 1t will be in the
new and more pretentious building in Central Park.
opposite Eightysecond street. As may be we'll
imagined, the work Of removal cannot be
accomplished in a day. Among the thousands
Of valuable articles within the walls Of
the museum there are few that will
stand rough handling, and all must DO carefully
wrapped up before being enclosed in the boxes pre-
pared for their reception. The work of packing has
already been begun and. mentioned in the HERALD
few days ago. the gold and silver antiques of tho
Cesnola collection the first objects of socitude
To insure their safety they have been to tho
vaults Of a safe deposit company. where they will
main until the Central Park building is prepared for
their reception. After these had been disposed Of
the various treasures which have been loaned from
time to time exhibition received tho attention of
the managers. and will be gradually returned to
their respective owners. or these loaned collec-
lions. tnas OF European poreeiains belonging to
1t will be carried to his residence In baskets. The
McCullum collection Of laces recently exhibited in
collection of Oricntas will require extreme in
its removal. Nh Hutchings, the curator directs the
the statues will have to be placed in boxes but others
will not demand such protection. The removal will
be superintendent by the Board of Trustees. and,
stated on Tuesday, special committee has been ap
pointed to regulate the distribution OF space in tho
Central Park building General di Cesnols is chair
man of this committee but will not have the pleas
ure Of placing his collection Of Cyprioto works
Of art permanent exhibition for nearly year,
owing to lack of funds In the treasury of the Park
narar tn tn q for ito
BY tho Lat of May the old building must be aban-
doned, but It will be several months before the
one is thrown open to the public.
THE DoUoLAss-CRUaER MANSION.
The removal Of the Art Museum from its familiar
thus LEFT vacant. The lot in which it stands is 225
feet wide by little 103 in depth, and the build
ing itself measures rs feet 'front.' with depth of 90
feet It's height is two stories. and above the main
entrance is q spacious balcony, recessed into the
brown stone wall Both at the sides and in the
the walls are painted brick. When the building
erected by the late william Douglass. in the year
1882 it stood far above what then the limits of
the fashionable district. But rapid has been the
Growth of the city that It has now been left almost
III the wake. When first completed it considered
OF the handsomest houses In the metropolis aud
even still has air Of comfortable grandeur about
it that many more modern dwelling lacks 1t
was originally divided into two residences. with
and his sister, Mrs. Harriet Cruger the other. The
present Mr.. William p. Douglass. who then
receiving his oduc .n In nth. the schools OF
try. dividing his time between his home
at Douglaston, L. L, and the city residence
Of his aunt and uncle. Though built by her brother
the hospitable mansion in Fourteenth street was.
perhaps, better known by the name Of Mrs. Cruger.
whose gorgeous entertainments were. in her time,
the delight and wonder of fashionable society. Again
and again were the halls and drawing hronged
with distinguished visitors. who gladly responded to
the invitation Of a brilliant woman. And often did
their hostess show them the wine glass. adorned
with silver thistles In which Sir Walter Scott
had drunk her health. These festivities were
continued after the death of her bachelor
brother In 1863 and up to that of her
husband who after thirty years of married life,
died in 1861 Mrs Cruger died In 1872 but the house
occupied by her nephew until the treasures of
the Art Museum deposited there the following
year Since then the museum has been of tho
chief artistic attractions OF the metropolis. but the
number Of visitors. so thinks Mr.. John Taylor
Johnston would have been twice great had the
building stood between Fifth and Sixth avenues in
stead of one block further to the west However he
loath leave the place where the various collcc
tions Of paintings aud other rarties of the
became well known to the public. 1t unques-
tionably the best temporary home that could have
been obtained.