New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-18
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM.
WINTER OPENING

| significant events In the history OF Institution
which represents tho interest Of tho counrys mcropo.
| Ifs in public education In art Up to tho pr,sens
tlme the Museum has been hampercd by a lack d
space which has Dterfercd most seriously with the
proper exhibition Of some collections, and with the
| systematic arrsn cement which now Is rendered.
possible The object Of this cement Is to present
| Illustrations OF tho arts OF design in chronological
sequence aud 10 show examples Of successive sAges
| q evolution far as the resources Of the Museum
permit Those resources, which have grown to b,
far extensive than the general public has rsaL
zed, have been supplemented By the loans Of various
amateurs Those who have seen tho examples u
Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Constable, Turner and other
masters which owned by Mr. Henry @. Msrquand
will appreciate the value Of the opportunity onersd
by their public exhibition. 5hoso paintings and tho
noble Rembrandts lent by Mr. H. o. Havemeyer
furnish illustration Of great art such We hays
not had before. We trust that & may not be III
udlcious to express hope that acse superb paint
ings may remain at the Museum. These and other
loan collections are exhibited In addition various
gifts which have multiplied the Museums resources
There are other similar although snaser Institutions
like the of ST. Louis and Boston. which arc
not TO be easily surpassed In the qualify OF their
casts and photographs and some otbeT collections,
but there is no American art museum Oh equal COM
prehensiyeness The collections range rom BABY
lonian cylinders to recent examples OF American
pictorial art, and even If IS possible - take ex-
ceptlons 10 this that, TO note defciacles thu
moro natural feeling Is ono of grsiihcaio, that "a
much has been DONE and done, we may add, By tho
aid Of private generosity.
II the museums collections tell a tale n
pcctcd progress since the Fourteonth-s days may
be said that the present exterior Of the building gives
equal evidence of prosperity. The original building
I'm Central Park only a part 81 whole pro-
jected, but slow OF realization, and meanunn the
museum was housed in manner which belief its
purpose. Tho recent addition throws the older
structure into the background II IL explained that
tho architects purpose has been a modified classical
treatment which may be easy Of harmonious afspta-
ton to other wings additions 10 be built IN The
future. The task has been difficult one. no doubt,
but the result is certainly a gain regards sot
only architectural effect but also the relation Of re
Museum building to the landscape. wo need rot
dwell upon the exterior Of the new wing for this,
like much within, has been described already in Tis
Tribune. The entrance is at tho south. Tho frs,
hall, which and west contains a col
dectton Of casts Of classic sculpture, % which
the Museum has been sorcy In need On the south
ern wall beneath the windows is series Of bas-
elefs illustrating the vigorous but naive execution
)f the first period OF Assyrlan art-fhst 81 tho King
Assur-nazrspl whose palace furnished the origfnas
If these casts The series Is continued the east
If the entrance, and It Is supplemented by an ex-
ample OF the third most Sophisticated period OF
Assyfan art-the familiar Wounded Lioness- Of
The time Of Sardanapalus l. The student Of the his
casts and the Babylonlan cylinders In the room
above, through the extensive Egyptian collection
and the Cypnote satuary, TO the examples OF Greeh
sculpture which arranged In the same room with
the Assyrian casts. In addition 70 the statues
there portions Of Asatic Greek fezcs and f1eres
from the Temple of Apollo at Bassac the Temple %
wngless Victory at Athens, and frezes nom Aanthuss
The collection admits Of additions, which will doubtless
come In time, but its value az present VIII %
readily appreciated. II may be found that thd
shadow mpairs the effect of the rclieis beneath The
gindows but the arrangement of casts is dihculs
matter, and the results obtained in this case are
doubtless satisfactory The collection OF casts exc
tends into a smaller central hall. running north and
south, whore Luca della Robbia's Assumption ID
shown against the pier at the end. on the left ID
acove designed for collection Of work In wrought
ron, illustrating the medieval and renaissance union
II art feeling and craftsmanship. Bat this Is
iigresson, and the main halls upon either side
of the southern entrance. Turning 10 the right on
entering, We pass the hall. running north
and SOUTH which is devoted to yptan antiquities
and ancient sculpture on the westem side Of the
floor cases Of sarcophag and mummes. many q
which from the tomb AT Gourmet. Neural discov-
cred by Maspcro In lssG. Against tc western Wall
are cases OF images scarabaoi and a variety Il
Egyptian antiquities. the centre OF the hail ems
oroideries and other textile fabrics fom Fayyums
I'm Egypt, exhibited on standards with SWING
ng leaves. On the east side are buss aud othes
nician down TO CraccoRoman. Aga;ns the piers
are shown lamps also from the Cesnoa collection
with clay tablets nom Assyns and Nbeveh, and
specimens Of Egyptian linen and papyr. continuing
northward the visitor passes through room devoted
to ancient cottas, most Of which are from the
Ccsnola collection, the original building
But before leaving the ground floor OF the NV wing
IL will be convenient return the south altrancs
and TO consider the examples Of applied art the
left I'm the western halls. There Is first the " hall
OF glass and ancient pottery: Here the eastern wall
offers us examples Of Egyptian, Phoencian. Greek
and Roman glass, from the cesnola col
lection, and upon tho floor contain tho
Maryland and Jarves collections Of Greek. Roman.
Venetian, Forcnno aud German glass. making afo-
gether most interesting showing, and one which.
told, Is not excelled by any foreign Tn
glass is Immediately followed by the collection
lace presented to the Museum by tho late Mrs.
John Jacob Aston and Mrs r. l. stuart. These laees
have been carefully arranged in frames swinging from
central standards like the frames often used for tho
display OF prints and drawings. Thus tlsse dainty.
gosssmsrke examples Of cunning Italian. French.
German and Oriental design presented In such .
manner that pattern and workmanship may DO con-
venicntly studied From these beautiful laccs tho
visitor passes to the Of carved wood and nusi-
cal instruments, the latter antique. oriental. abor-
lgnal and European in origin. and usually illustrate
ing carving, inlayng decorative painting ln their
des ign Wood-oaVing Is represented BY several
ampes OF italian furniture, most elaborate English
clock OF the seventeenth century. and q cabinet q
American woods inlad with Oriental porceains. This
completes our hasty survey OF the ground oor 81 the
new wing, and we may continue b the old building.
whore examples Of modern sculpture shown al the
west end, while the east 10 devoted to ancient STAT
uary, inscriptions and bronzes. The main hall, nov
empty for the temporary stage designed for to-
days exercises, will be occupied by the Willard col
lection OF architectural casts On the cas-, wall are
tapestries b. Fursaud de Layergne, dated 1855, and
on the west wall IS Makart's large painting. Dianas
Hunting Party" with decorative paintings OF Pcaco'
by Kraus. and Victory by Richter
Ascending the southeast stairway or the stair
WAY which was In the AontheHst cnrner N the Old