The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-26
xEKprys PAINTINGS IN 1rALE
The Outeone OF the Escorts OF Needy Noble
men to seii Works OF the OLD Masters.

VutcOnS
men to seI Works Of the OLD Masters
bill prohibiting to private individuals IN
Italy the sale and export OF rare old paintings
to foreigners abroad was passed by the Italian
Parliament about two weeks ago. me new
law is stated in i've paragraphs me hrs.
provides for On annual appropriation OF
100000 for the purchase OF old works OF art
from private persons. The second appropriates
$4,000 more from the proceeds OF the exhi-
billions In the public galleries. The third para
graph appropriates $4,000 annually for the
preservation Of the works OF art bought under
the two preceding paragraphs. and the rest OF
the law enumerates the severe penaities
which are to be inflicted on persons selling
works Of old masters to foreign buyers.
The history behind this law Is long and pe-
culiar. italian noblemen began to feel the pres
sure OF heavy debts more than seventy years
ago and to seek relief In selling many treas
ures OF art from their family galleries. Ihus
In 1922 and 1924 the Bourbons were con-
strained to make prohibitory law against
such practices in Naples. and In 1889 the pro-
visions Of the law we're extended to Sicily. IN
the kingdom Of Italy the sale OF rare articles
from galleries. libraries and collections OF
antiques OF all kinds was forbidden by the law
OF June 2S, 1878. for all cases where family
property had been entailed. and somewhat
later the sending abroad Of similar treasures
specially approved by the Government
All these laws failed. more or less. OF thelf
sarnsd tha, fs or that or
ihs gallery OF some French German or r. thet
practice eventually by tho loss. OF the Cms . a,
lBorgia portrait, supposed TO be nap nrs ~
tho Prase.p
tho border to France in II trunk with double
and If Ss Fs1S Ss s
bad enough, despite the reflections cast on the
gen9inensss Of the Raphael but not the worst;
n1sfY soas 81 eb R sas s
aSsss'Sa T saos S!'Hn
courts that they might satisfy, theiT claims BY
Selling. his pictures at once: The Prince pro.
5 that
fannie rbsFsWth in 1s ssss the Of
insss N We're ~ safe Ha Ne"ertheess the Min;
istry Of Education, had an nnacknowledcs,d
art Collection n and md offered him s5oo,cS6, for
S ar and astsd F the apae alone
The State reminded him that the documents ae,,nS
that no could not sell the gallery or a nicture
from it to private individuals. The Prince
answered that thcro were no sucn d9cmi
mcnts, and, sure enough. they had
Disappeared. Legal proceedings and friendly
negotiations. in tangled complication. with
each other, continued month after month un-
til short time ago. when it was rumored that
the Prince had cut tho knot by smuggling on
the eight pictures in question. The Govern
cd that the rumor was founded, on fact. Not
only had the s20o.OOO Raphael disappeaIrs,d.
Gamblers y and "A beautiful Woman" Leo
nardo da vinci's "Modesty and Vanity" PERU
gino's st. Sebastian. and MagdaIen by
with arrest II he did not reveal the fate Of the
pictures. but he refused. Then the Minister
the bill which has Just become law Whether
Prince Sciarra- Colonnn will be frightened by
the penalty of six to ten months imprison-
ment prescribed by the law and what has be-
come of the paintings for which the State is
searching. remain to be ascertained.