New-York tribune., 1891-05-04
THE SLATER COLLECTION.
VIEWED BY THE TRUSTEES OF THE METRO
POLTTAN MUSEUM OF ART.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE CASTS IN THE NORWICH
MUsEUM-wHAr is CONTEMPLATED FOR
THE NEw-YoRK INsTrTUTIo ON


THE NEw-yoRK INSTITUTION.
Norwich Conn.,. May (specaD.-The visit to Nor
h Of the trustees Of the METROPOLITAN Museum Of Art.
which was briefly mentioned in dispatch from this
city in today's Tribune, was made for the purpose
~ studying the plaster reproductions OF Greek and
italian sculpture in the slater Memorial Museum.
.soon after the trustees had decided to enlarge their
collection OF casts william A. Slater invited the mem
hers of the special committee charged with the COM
pIation Of list OF casts and the collection OF thc
necessary funds, together with friends interested in
the welfare Of the Museum, 10 examine the Norwich
collection. 1t in TO that invitation that
Robert w. de Forest, Edward ID. Adams, Howard
Mansfield George F. Baker, Professor Allan Marquand
A. c. Merriam, F. d. Millet. +. w. Rhinelander'
Augustus st. Gaudens, Professor William X ware,
stanford White, OF the committee: Andrew carnegie
F. F. Thompson, r. L. Godln, William H. Dodge'
C. c. Beaman Charles s. Smith, Brayton Ives, T.
r. Clarke. r. W. Glider s. p. Avery, W. L. Andrews
and Theodore Weston arrived in this city on specai
car yesterday morning. Unfortunately Henry G.
Marquand was detained in New-lorR. The gentlemen
were received at the station by Mr. Slater ana were
taken at once to the museum
Under the guidance Of Mr. Slater, who erected the
museum 10 the memory Of hts father; Dr. Robert T.
Keen and H. W. Kent, the curator, the New-Yorkers
spent more than two in examining the collection
o casts The visit to the museum supplemented by
a drive about the beautiful town, which clad In the
yerdure Of spring meried its title OF the Rose OF
New England At o'clock. they were entertained
At dinner in the paatia home of Mr. and Mrs Slater
IN Broadway. They returned 10 New York on the
O'Clock express delighted with their hospitable treat
ment with the beauty of the city and the treasures OF
the memorial.
The casts Of the Slater Museum have been admirably
arranged by Edward Robinson, Of the Boston Museum
Of Fine Arts. That part of the building devoted to
sculpture and painting is large hall reaching 10 the
roof, with broad gallery next the wall on each Of
the four sides Light is admitted TO the large rooms
by windows above and below the gallery, and dormers
in the roof on two sides. The space beneath the
galleries Is divided into alcoves by means of curtains
Between the galleries is large compartment extending
10 the roof for the reception of the colossal figures
The arrangement is well adapted 10 a collection Of
moderate size. The casts have been placed so as to
show nearly possible the successive stages In
the progress of sculpture.
In choosing the works to be placed IN
the memorial, Mr. Slater and his advisers nave
endeavored to avoid too great variety and too excu
sve regard for the demands of specialists" The cor
lection which has been described already In The Trb
une now comprises 125 reproductions of famous pieces
of Greek sculpture and 107 reproductions OF Italian
masterpieces 1t is in many ways the finest collection
OF the kind in the United States Almost every gallery
in Europe has been called upon for its tribute To the
student the artist and the ordinary czen alike the
collection is an inspiration The Slater Memorial
size of Norwich, and is a noble monument to its
founders.
The trustees Of the Metropolitan Museum contem
plate as q matter Of course, the purchase OF much
larger collection. Their visit, however, 10 Norwich
was full of instruction. As was learned from men,
Der Of the special committee $4,000 has been collected
already toward the fund Among the contributors are
many members of the special committee. They have
done little soliciting that the fund already in their
hands shows the widespread interest which their plans
have met. They DESIRE however, 100000, and will
welcome even the smallest contributions.
The collection OF casts when completed will be the
largest and finest in the world, according to those in
terested in the Museum As basis OF selec-
tion the committee determined to prepare catalogue
of all desirable objects in the various art treasures Of
the world, without reference to present limitations of
means or space. This catalogue is to furnish the
ideal to which the Museum might ultimately hope to
attain. AS first STEP tentative lists have been
printed for private circulation among those whose
advice Is sought in the preparation of the catalogue
The preparation Of the lists has been entrusted TO
specialists, who have exercised great care IN tnor WOr
Those for the Chaldean Assyrian, Persian, Greek
and Roman periods were made. according to the
preface TO the catalogue by Mr. Robinson on BOston,
whO already stated arranged the eoleeuon IN ule
museum of this city. The same gentleman prepared
italian and German Renaissance lists when nave re
ceived additions from Professor A. L. Rockingham,
and French Renaissance periods were prepared en-
tirely by Professor rockingham. The Egyptian hst
* the work Of Professor Allan MarQuand, OF Princeton
The architectural list will soon be ready Tor puohca-
The lists include not only the names of the works
Themselves; they also give the places where the
originals are to be found, the places Where the casts
should be purchased and tho prices for Whlch they
can be secured When completed the catalogue itseli
will be a valuable book of reference Tor every library
or museum.