New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-22
THE IDOL or Az OLD PICrURE-DEALER.
AMADoNNA SAID TO BE BY CoRREGGIo-A WORK by
vFIAsoUEZ WHICH is NEVER EXHIBITED.

A MADONNA SAID TO BE BY CoRREGGIo-A WORK BY
vRLAsQUEZ WHICH IS NEVER EXHBITED
An old picture-dealer Who lives in building
in Broadway, worshps painting which came into his
possession years heather adores his IDOL Ills
little rooms are the top floor and crowded with
paintings engravngs and books all IN wild disorder and
covered with dust The picture dealer himself looks Ike
an animated painting that might have stepped down
from a dusty frame. His smoothly shayen face sur
rounded by % thick growth OF gray hair. gives him the
appearance poet philosopher He lives all alone
and might his end without any one knowing IT,
The painting he much adnres is one OF the Madonna
He sits down before II with h pipe lighted and contem
plates il for hours ut "a time II visitor calls and ex-
presses desire to see his treasure. he becomes quite
Youthful in his enthusiasm and shows 1t with much
pride.
am not IN the nes the spirit" he said the other
day You are iucrcduous. / Will prove 1t TO you
Taking book down from shelf, he blew the dust from
the cover and read paragraph which gave an account
Of his death as having taken place almost forty years
AGO He closed the book with n remark OH the innc-
curacy Of history and the danger Of placing reliance on
human testimony.
ain show YOU my Correggio." he said.
Can Il bc q real Correggoi" askeb the reporter.
There s. no doubt of it whatever" explained the old
plcturc-dcal.r He went 10 cabinet built in the wall.
II was drapcd with u black curtain and looked very
much like the cabinets used by mediums In their
Stances Striking Il match he no row OF gas ets,
which Illuminated a painting standing two feet back In
the Enclosure. which through opening IN the
curtain. There stood the figure OF the Madonna In "A
hood o Hight The Virgin Is In an erect position with her
bare feet resting clouds and her form clad In graceful
flowing robe. Her face is slightly uptuIned and bears
sweet rapturou expression Her hands are clasped IN
front serpent wrhcs I'm its attempt Ia get nee from
brncah her lett foot The cabinet Il so arranged that
the uniutng may viewed through lenses at different
degrees Of power one Of wch gives the figure larger
dimensions. 49,
Have you the pedigree Of the picturci"
" No ! have not"
We have no knowledge Of any OF the old masters
having treated this subject the time this picture
painted IL l. not known that Corrcggo himself treated
H. but he engaged AN altar piece at the time
OF his death. Of which all trace was lost.
DO yOu simply depend on this one facti"
The painting characteristics Of drawing and color
that could only have come from the hand OF COrrcggO
How did the painting come into your poSsessioni'
my arrival In this country from England,
about thirty years ago attended auction -ae OF pic
turcs This one all covered with dust and dirt, tho
painting itself scarcely visible, among the rest.
fanced | merit IN It. aud bought II for trihe
After getting II 10 my rooms became convinced that
had treasure anu set to work removing the thick coat
ing of dirt that covered the canvas. | was engaged
three four years In getting the painting in its present
DO others agree with you that II is work of Correg-
gio"
"Why do you not place It on exhibition at some
gallery I"
am unwilling to let 1t 20 ont Of my own hands.
have had frequent applications to have IL placed
hibition for charity but this would not do unless
went along with H. ~
The old conuoisscur has another picture which he
shows 10 anybody, and which he says he has not
looked years IL IS. he says 10y the celebrated
Spanish painter Ncasquez This picture, the title of
which j. Charles L." hus had very curious history
Several attempts made wrest IL from the pres
ent owner. In England ana tn Scotland by processes OF
law II Is for this that he keeps away from all
eyes. As the lights my Madonna IN ait down
aud look at IL He" said the old picuredealer light
ing his pipe and placing him elf In front OF the cabinet