The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-24
WASHINGTON TAPESTRY.
a FEAST FOR LOVERS OF THE AN
TIQUE AND BEAU IFUL.


The BsrDerini Collection - Flemish
Tapestries of the Sixteenth Century.
Some Gobelin Pieces With a Proud
Eistory-What May Be Seen at Edge
wood"-Leerned Guesses by Guests
at the Table of Chief Justice Chase.
"Reminiscences OF Charles Sumner.
Mrs. Hearst's Rare Tapestries-Thos
OF Albert Clifford Barney-Fine Speci-
mems From Mexican Converts and
Churches Collected by John W. Fos-
ter-Other Precious Pieces of Tapes
try at the Homes of Wealthy and
Distinguished People.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-If all the tapes
ties scattered about in the private residences
in this city could be gotten together it would
take pretty good-sized room to hold them,
TO say nothing Of showing them to advantage
The largest and most valuable collection in
Washington, and believe in this country,
is that of Charles II. Ffoulke of Pennsylva-
mia, who spends his winters here with his
family. He has lately added a large gallery
TO his handsome house, on Pennsylvania av-
enue, TO accommodate his treasures. The
house was fairly lined with them before he
secured the famous Barberini collection
some two years ago. Several pieces of this
collection were hung last winter on the walls
| OF the new gallery. They were made
at the pontificaI mandatory founded
| by Cardinal Francois Barberini. The car
| tOons were painted by Nicopolas Poussin,
and the weaving was superintended by
Riviera. In the lower border of each Is a
medallion, supported Dy two youthful
satyrs. In the medallion three bees. the
| emblem OF the Barherlnis, are encircled by
| a wreath. The wide borders have carya-
tides, holding upon their heads vases filed
with flowers. The colors are very fine and
well preserved. The subjects are: Leto
metamorphosing the peasants into frogs:
Daphne changed into laurel tree when
| fleeing from Apollo, who plucks some of
the leaves to bind upon his brow; Apollo
guarding cattle in the valley of Mount Ida,
| by command of Zeno; Apollo, as the god of
music, with his Tyre delightlng the MUSES..
and Apollo 1aying the satyr Marsyas for
daring to challenge him to a trial OF
| musical skill.
| Among several Flemish tapestries Of the
| sixteenth century is one from the Buonsig-
noria palace, Sienna. 1t is about twelve
feet square and represents says tradition,
| "Charlemange Growing One of His Feuda-
tories" Companion pieces represent Dame
| in the brazen tower. In one Jupiter visits
her as a shower of gold; in the other she is
seen caressing her infant son, PerSeus, held
| III the arms of female attendant. These
| tapestries are of silk and wool in fine state
of preservation and fine colors. Another
large piece of the same period represents
Cleopatra gorgeously attlred and attended
Emperor Augustus. Another shows the
rescue Of Andromeda by Perseus. In
Italian renaissance tapestry are three
especially fine pieces. One represents
the King and Queen of Lombardy
at an deliberately spread table in the open
air, waited upon by several servant4 One
shows In gorgeous colorings, among other
things the coat Of arms of the Colonnas.
The third, quite large, depicts the recon-
ciliation of the Emperor Constantine with
his enemies. A piece Of French tapestry,
made at Beauvais in the latter half Of the
sixteenth century, is OF silk about - feet
wide by 10 feet high, and shows an autumn
nal scene in rich coloring. Ceres the
principal figure, bears wheat and flowers,
and is accompanied by other goddesses
laden with various fruits, etc. Two Gobe-
lin pieces, made almost entirely of
| silk threads, are nearly 10 feet
! high by 8 feet wide. They wee
presented to the reigning sovereign
| Of one of the German states and bear the
arms of his family. The center of each has
a magnificent MEDALLION Of flowers. In one
| Cupid rides the sea on an Amphora, and
| in the other the god of love sails in q tiny
boat. The borders are of INTERVIEWING
branches Of oak, with wreaths of ivy tied
with ribbons In the spaces everywhere
| appears the emblem of the princely family
| for whom they were made. Mr.. Ffoulke
| and his family are now abroad and will
| spend some months in Italy, Mrs FfoulEo.
a lovely woman, was "presented7 at one of
the late drawing rooms" in London.
A very interesting piece Of Gotelin tapes
try, which once hung in the palace of Louis
| Philippe, has for years adorned the wall of
the dining room at Edgewood, the former
home of Chief Justice Chase, and now that
OF his gifted daughter, Kate, and her chill
dren. 1t is quite large and finely pres
served. Mrs Chase told me one day that
it was much admired by the dis.
| tinguished men who used to gather
| about her fathers table, and each one
| guessed" at the story it was supposed tc
tell. The Hon. Charles Summers guess was
| fancy, about right. He thought it repre-
sented Ulysses in the disguise Of q woman
being entertained at feast by the barbaric
queen of some isle. There is a very uneasy
expression or his face and the disguise is
| ill-sustalned. His helmet lies at his feet
and a vessel is anchored in the background.
The table is piled high with luscious fruits,
| and his hostess and several servants are very
| attentive. The dresses are rich and the col
ors very fine.
Mrs. Hearst has number Of rare tapes |
tries and valuable old prayer" rugs in her
beautiful new house which was so sadly
closed almost before il was finished by the
long illness and death of Senator Hearst.
One Of the largest pieces is THE Rencoun-
ter" superb battle piece of rich coloring
and fine work. 1t is very DID, but do nos
know the exact date. The border is COM
posed of implements of war, drums, etc.
A smaller and very lovely piece shows
group OF Cupids at play.
In the new winter residence of Albert |
Clifford Barney is large piece of Italian
renaissance tapestry, allegorical, as are
most tapestries, in the scene depicted. Here,
triumphal car bears Peace and Plenty"
through land teeming with evidences OF |
prosperity.
Mrs. John W. Foster has, among many
curious and interesting things, picked up
while her husband was minister to Mexico,
Spain and Russia. some small but fine old |
bits OF tapestry, which would fall to pieces
If not framed. The colors are still wonder |
| fully good. They came from some of the |
old Mexican converts or churches, and it is |
hard to tell just how old they are.
Samuel Ward whose pretty grand |
daughter, Miss Thoroa, married William |
G. Endicott, Jr., two years ago, has a large
and very valuable piece of tapestry in the |
parlor of his winter home on X street. The |
subject is, think. scriptural. Not far away |
on the same street, in the home of r. r. |
n Illinois oil hi ,,ia