The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-22
TEE EscosUnA COLLECTION
Will be Opened 20 the Fabtse Tomorrow

ton. all the art collections and studio proper
ties Of the well-known Spanish artist, Leon
Escosura. The studio which they formerly
filed was among tho most sumptuous IN faris.
and II ia safe to sRy that the general enect OF
the galleries whore they are now shown VII
Broadway was never moro attractive so rieh
Is tho color effect as a whole and 20 many are
the objects which on closer inspection prove 10
be extremely beautiful.
There are more than 75O entries In the cata-
logue, and they include pictures, furniture,
tapestries. and embroideries, arms and armor,
carvings in wood and ivory. books and on
cravings. jewelry, silverware. and costumes
musical instruments, and bric-a-brac OF many
kinds. The various stuffs make up tho most
important mart OF the collection, as regards
both quantity and quality-tho seventy articles
OF wearing apparel. the nlne large Tapestries.
and the $40 examples Of Oriental and European
needlework. Richer collections OF Oriental
embroidery have often been seen In New York,
but It is probable that no such dis
play Of European products has before
been made here. They are OF many
centuries, and Of every possible kind, almost
all well preserved. and. with very few excop-
tions. intrinsically beautiful. Only an expert
in such matters could undertake to point out
the ~rarities among them and after q first hasty
survey 1t Is rash even to attempt to note those
which from a merely artistic point OF view
are especially remarkable. Vets few examples
may be cited With the consciousness that thers
are many others as fine, and perhaps somo
finer. No. 40, for instance. is a table cover
tFrench) Of the early Renaissance period. with
q most beautifully balanced design In delicate
applique work OF black velvet on white
satin, with silver and gold embroidery. No.
1893 is a greon velvet chasuble. possibly OF
the fifteenth century. bearing a great GROSS In
silver embroidery. in the centre OF which is an
admirably elaborated crucihx. No. $40 IL Q
large ~portiere. or spread. tho beautiful design
Of which appears to be late Gothic, while the
ground looks so fresh in its rather crude blue
tone as to suggest that the work may possibly
have boon transferred from the original
foundation. An altar piece mo. 1851 Of red vel
vet, with applique designs representing tho
birth Of Christ. ia given In the catalogue as a
work Of the fifteenth century. and from the
character OF the figures might we'll be even
older. A piano cover mo. 1917 Of white satin.
s~parssly covered with a delicate floral pattern.
is said to be IAN original by Marie An
t%oinette." whatever that may mean. 1t Is GER
tain,y Of her time. but she can hardly have
embroidered it, II only because . queen is not
likely to have been 30 c~onsummate q needle-
woman. Perhaps We are invited to believe that
she owned 1t. together with all the million and
ono other works of art produced during her
lifetime. Among the simplest but not least in
teresting articles is q linen towel with blue
cross-stitch embroidery, attributed to tho six
teenth century; and among the most sumptu-
Gus in effect. though not the most remarkable
as ne~edlework. is No. 301. q great porttere OF
blue velvet and gold with o fine Renaissance
pattern. But, whatever may be ones taste In
this kind OF art. there will DO something to
crafty 1t on those walls. and. whatever may
=. ~ -AA A---l a
como within reach, 90 vast is the diversity
in size and antiquity as we'll as In style
and character among the many pieces. A small
room. which is filled with furniture and stuffs
dating from Louis Seize and Empire days 10 an
especially interesting feature Of the exhibition.
Tho Louis Quinze and other costumes will
doubtless chiefly attract artists In search OF
studio properties. But the few large tapestries
should DO noticed by all lovers Of the noblsr
forms Of decorative art. One Of them mo. 1901
Is cataloguod as 1.-The oldest piece known In
history" and whether It is or not. 1t is certain
ly very old and very interesting and very posi-
bly, Byzantine.
There are some good chairs. older than those
In the Empire Room just mentioned. some fine
pieces OF Arabic thing. and some attractive
little early worries. A Gothic casket mo. 5s0)
wood, covered with plates OF repouss6 bronze
is especially interesting. and as much may be
said Of q Gothic professional crucilx without
NUMBER also of beaten metal on wood. with
touches of enamel and accessory figures In
high relief-a most curious and characteristic
piece Of work. One or two Of tho large pieces
Of Renaissance furniture look like modern imi-
tations. but in general all the works Of decora-
tive art bear the impress of gsnulnsness. That
Is, they all seem to be really old" although o
oonnoisseur might sometimes quarrel with the
exact degree Of antiquity which the catalogue
ascribes.
1t may also be said that most of the paintings
attributed to "old masters" arc evidently
really old; but further than this It Is often i'm
possible for tho critic tolagree with their owner.
It Is boldly stated In tho catalogue that they
are gems OF art no.. Gems Of Art" with
capitals-of which 1t would be impossible to
speak too highly" that they are so old and
rare that often their authenticity is doubted; =
but that their owner can vouch for them"
Nevertheless no might vouch forever without
persuading US that We had beneath our eyes a
Raphael. for Instance. and two or three Hol-
beins, and a Leonardo which is "as beau
tiful as tho Mona Lisa In the Louvre
tho vouching Of tho pictures themselves
is too decidedly In the other direction,
Nor can We even imagine why We should be
asked to believe that o certain tnptych was
painted by Van Dyok-it is'either q Door picture
OF o far earlier time than his or COPY OF q good
picture OF such a time. and has no remotest
analogy with anything that Van Dyck ever
painted or could have painted. But whom ws
throw the catalogue aside and examine the
works for their intrinsic excellence. we find
that many are good In their way. The sup
posed Raphael. for instance. is given out az q
replica OF the Petersburg "St. George" It
seems to be an old COPY OF this picture. done
by some one who had an admirable sense of
color but was weaker In other directions,
and who ventured to change the background
in conspicuous ways. 1t is a very charming
little picture. and enclosed in an equal
" charminG old frame. The supposed Holbein
mo. 696) fs an interesting picture-good as re-
CARDS the head, very weak as regards tho
hands. The small full length Of the Inianta
Marguerite attributed to the school OF yslas-
quez. looks moro like his own work than either
OF the pictures boldly given him. although the
woman's head mo. 1881 IL a charming canvas,
| No. T3D Ia cartninIv M n Hnyn. No 400 s.o.