New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-28

Sress has NOT been retouched The left forearm with
iis drapery s correctly replaced. Mr. tnrrad to
stated To ma that the illustration above re1efIee 70
vas NOT made from the statue ITSELF but copied IRON
a Ithogrsph in DOeps Russian puolicatlon; ;.i no
seems 10 have been mised by relying on Iteso the
graphs instead of making careful Oh the
''''''' The QUESTION o. THE MIRROR.
v. No. PSI. Statuette OF Venus
Charge: THAT a mirror which appears 10 oe
held in the left hand of the statuette was added TO
II in s79 for the purpose of making it represent
Venus and sustain theory that her worship was
continued at GoIgoi in Greek times. The charge is
accompanied by two illustrations ana by elaborate
sfateents the writer stating that the mirror was
carved In the stone and that 10 cover Tue S yn1
work a coating was putover. which was stu CAMP
and soft when he 1t, into which Wiilie sti sou
he twice pressed his nail while handling 1t In
1879"
We find the charge unfounded. We find no ground
on winch base any question as to the antiquity OF
the mirror and the surrounding surface. ne unaii
nous testimony Of experts sculptors ana pracIcai
cutters and workers in stone OF various kings, VINO
examined the object together, and also WIN three
members of the committee. other expert ltstihlony,
and our own careful examination OF 1t WITH the eye
and with the microscope. leave DO DOUBT that the
mirror and the surrounding parts were cut az the
same time and by the same hand that wrought the
entire statuctte that of the ancient sculptor. The
evidence before us shows that this Object,
when found, was like large portion
less with dense. stone-ke incrus alton of earth
and lime, which IN some cases II mas Deen iounu n
possible to remove. We find examples OF TINS IN
many objects in the collection On the le't slde Oh
this statuette this accumulation yielded - a pro;
lOnged BATH and its removal, the mirror, small
relief ve-eighths of an inch ~ transverse aiameeeI
was revealed. The engraved illustration. accom-.
panyng this charge exaggerates the size ana reiet
height of the mirror. The alleged motive Tor an
alteration does not exist the collection having am
pie illustration of the Greek worship Of Aphrodite
ut G0lgOi
OTHER ERRORS IN THE CHARGES
W. No. 754. Statuette of Youth.
Charge: This has been too much retouched and
wrong head placed OH it. When found it was In
poor state of preservation and the head was want
ing.n
We find the charge without foundation. As this
object was found unbroken. and photographed in that
condition at the place of excavation. accidentally
broken in transporting it to the residence OF the DIS
coverer and immediately repaired, shipped IN box
direct to New-York. and not unpacked tii piaeea IN
its present position the shelf. 1t was evident the
writer knew nothing of its condition when found,
and had mistaken it for repair OF some other Cd
iect. In a later publication latter an intnn9-
Gus error he stated that from draw
ing made by bin he thought the nun In1 DER
trated Plate V, No. q" This correction revealed
the source of his error. He has since informed us
in person that intended to designate some object
in the collection as repair restoration OF the OBJ
ject in DOelPs book. Neither 754 nor 460 has any
resemblance whatever to that object; Inns Is unin;
portant, however, as we find the object descr; bed
and illustrated in Doell V. Q, to be headless
statuette, in the museum store-room OF fragments
never repaired. 1t appears therefore, that the acc-
satiOn has originated in mstaking some OBJECT III
the collection for repair restoration OF another
Object which has never been repaired.
VII. No. 76S. Statuette of Man Sitting.
Charge: That the head of an old man has been
fixed OH the shoulders of the figaro which the writer
states belongs to a class which represents youths,
and it is important to know whether this heal has
been put on as If it really belongs to the figure it
upsets all the former classiticatOns made oil such
objects. -,
Tins suggestion of a suspicion, rather than dis
tnct charge is important only because forming one
of a series of accusations un Ter the head Hamper
1 YIN la@ HnSnst isso pv an eSgTaying whc
represents dark line across the NECK giving appar-
cnt force to the suggestion that the head has been
fixed Onn The object Is q monolith, and no such
line exists across the neck The collection contains
large number Of unbroken statuetles OF this Glass;
representing old men and youtis. The author oil
the charge after examining the Object in our pres,
ence was satisfied that the object is IN original
unbroken condition, and disavowed any attempt at
| Misrepresentation in the Illustration.
THE FACTS ABOUT TIE BRONzEs
VIII. The Bronzes
Charge: That many of them have been covered
with false patna after they We're cleaned.
We find that the trustees have given their per-
sonal and very careful attention to the important
subject of preserving ancient bronzes from oxida-
ton and rapid DIES truction; that i'll so doing they
invited experiments which were made by various
persons 0ncIudng the author OF the chargeE mat
the effects of the treatment by These governments
have been carefully watched for some years and
the process OF oxidation found TO he fastened Dy
some OF the processes. and apparently arrested ny
one only. This las. treatment has been adopted,
and 1t is hoped will prove az successful as that used
by the British Museum, which Is secret. We hnd
that some of the bronzes have been cleaned. and
subjected to this process, and that false patna.
coloriug matter, other treatment has been given
to these to any i'll the collection
Mr.. Feuardent presented to us an Afiiavit of Mr..
George &. Cox q photographer formerly employed
at the Museum. containing charges affecting otber
objects IN the collection Mi Cox appeared before
the committee and made charges general terms OF
restOralOns and false repairs of objects. but on ex-
animation could fix upon only two objects, W.: he
Sarcophagus No. &C., and tue Statue, No. AAAlA.
These the committee examined, and find the charges
i'll relation to them TO TO without the slightest iouada-
ton.
GENERAL DI CEsNOIAs SYSTEM
1t has been necessary for us in this inquiry to ex-
anime to some extent the system of General Di Ces
nola in making repairs. We of opinion tnat If
he has erred at all it has been in too rgidly refrain
ing from making repairs whose correct
ness was reasonably certain. =, We find
in tho store-rOOms OF the Museum q
mass of fragments which probably belong to objects
exhibited i'll imperfect condition. The Tact appears
before ua that every fragment OF statue found at
GOgoi was carefully preserved and that there now
remains In Cyprus large collection OF such frag-
ment. which il broug ht TO NewYOrk would possibly
supply the original bodies of all the numerous heads
| now exhibited coming from that spot
The trustees aud the CITY and country, have great
reason for pride in the possession of tbs Cesnoa Col
lection and this committee have sincere satisfaction
in saying that they have found nothing in their IN
vestigatIon to cast shadow on IT'S repula alton.
Signed. +. a. L. BARNARD
CHARLES i. DAILY,
ROSWELL ID. HTCHCoCK,
j. Q. A. WAED,
w. Z. PRIME.
Committee, etc.