The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-03


brac which has been about one year In the
United states. but has not been shown bee
fore. is now tO be- seen at the American Art
Galleries. ON Madison square. They We're
here when the Due de- Durcal offered his old
masters, and 10 is quite among thc pOssihili-
ties that tho slender results of the sale of his
treasures discouraged the owner of these.
He is a merchant Of Barcelona named
Don Francisco Guu de- Gahalda, part
of whose business is in paints, and
who may have begun his collection
by accepting modern Spanish pictures and
old masters In payment of debts due him
from artists. Later he appears 90 have
taken a liking tO pictures, but his coi'tc-
tion is also swellod by works consigned or
accumulated as a speculation. At ans
rate. the pictures in oils are very curious,
containing a- they DO cfnYases Dy modern
Spaniard-. Boy at least one Spanish c0l0niai
painter OF the most singular variety, bad
beyond conception, and by known and uu-
known artists of the great epoch
in the Netherlands and Spain. We
may well wonder how % should
come about that many OF these pie
lures still exist, for there is nothing In
them that would seem 90 warrant their keep
ing We must suppose mat they have lam
in garrets OF rambling provincial houses, in
mOnasteries and sacristies. and on the walls
Of mldeWcd hospitals. To students Of the
past i'm painting some Of those which are un-
utterably bad. technically speaking, Will
prove worth examining. SD far as 10 is pos
sible 10 examine under the circumstances
Owlng % their size and number they are
placed high mp the walls Oi the large lower
gallery. so that DO is impossible tO see what
some Of the dim Canyases may once have
meant.
ON the other hand. among this mass Of
rubbish. there are pictures Of startling exc
cellence. Thus. n i've attributed 90 Nelas-
quez, one is certainly a superb feat In color.
10 is called portrait Of the Princess Mar
guerte of Spain. The grays and pinks are
most charming. and Notwithstanding the
outrageous stiffness Of dress and ar
arrangement of hair. belonging % the pc
ri0d. 10 is the portrait 0f a personality, even
ID 10 Doe only % personality reduced 10y court
etiquette % the level OF doll. The greater
part of the pictures have names attached 90
them which are far too No.shiy for then
frail merits 20 support. bui this is true oi
most collections Of old masters
which have not been Weeded out during the
last twenty years. For example, Lion
ardO da y Incl has given pause even tO the
enthusiasm and generous llDerality Ot the
person who composed the catalogue. He
suggests. very naturally. that ihe picture
ascribed by lhe fond ownort0 LEONARDO Is BY
his pupil and imitat0r, ,Luini, i0f most Il the
paintings formerly given tO the great Incl
are now catllOgued as Lunis. But in
truth Iuini was far too fine a painter 10
have wrought "Our saviour among the Doc
tors: i'm any other country and no any other
time in Italy. Luiu would have been con-
sidercd a grand and incompatible master.
The Raphael offers another unfortunate
identification. The owner Of these pictures
has not learned that in the present day De
can get far better prices by having bis old
masters properly Identified as works by men
Of the second and third rank than by pursu-
ing the old. dull routine OF clubbing each
with the name OF some painter whose
work be would like 90 own. There
is generally seli-deception at the bot
tom OF these matters, but % pro-
tect themselves the auctioneers eX-
pressly declare that they viii not be-
responsible for authenticity Of work. The
collection resembles. indeed, the contents Of
several bric-a-brac shops in some mOldy old
town of -pain and one has almost az much
fun i'm examining IL as when one pokos
about in such queer places. The old mas
ters are only portion OF me whole. There
are modern Spanish and French works, a
lot Of water cOlOrs, books and manuscripts,
carved chests. old pottery aud glassware OF
exceeding quaIniness, metal work, por.
celains. draperie., tapestries. and
stutis-a perfect wilderness Of brio.
a-brsc! We have not had such
mess since modern Spanish painter OF
some note gave away the contents Of hi-
studio and those OF others 10 grateful New
Workers for three or four times what The
articles We're worth. SenOr Don Francisco
Guiu de- Gabalda has no corps Of friend.
here 10 help his SALE but it Is only just &c
him to say that his collection contains q
large number Of good pieces. The water
c0lors will be- sold on Monday. Che modern
bits on Tuesday and Wednesday, the old
paintings on Thursday and the bric-a-bra,
and so forth on the afternoons Of the same
days.-New York Times.