The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-02
THE LOTTO COLUMBUS.
Reply 10 Mr.. Henry laarrtsss's Remark q
On the Alleged Portrait.

l
On the Alleged Portrait.
To THE EDITOR OF THE Sun Sir: You have
allowed Mr.. Henry Harrlsse cons picuous srace
In your columns in which to denounce as
spurious and fraudulent cortnln portrait OF
Columbus painted by Lorenzo Lotto and now
In tho city OF New York. Mr.. Harrissc's in.
formation about the picture Is so erroneous
and. In consequence his logic Is go very bnd
that In justice to the picture itself hone you
viii allow mo an opportunity to correct the
misleading impression he has made.
As for Mr.. Harrisscs photographic negatives.
which for the great part arc nero technical
bubbles quito unworthy OF the historian Of
Columbus. ono may pass thcm by because
they have nothing to do with the picture
either as n Lotto or rs likeness OF Columbus.
There are great many things IN this world
| that are not true" about Columbus as we'll
as other people. but IL Mr.. IIarrissr chooses to
deny every not true" statement TINT he NAV
see In printed slips newspapers and mnga-
| zines" ho must not gricve II people smile ut
| him for his pains.
| Sweeping aside his irrelevant remarks about
Tfsnnihn "Camcrino" and Lotto and to come
straight to the point, the gist OF Mr.. Hnrrisso'a
communication is this: lie has hrcn informed
| from printed slips. newspapers. and maya.
zines" that the present ow:rr Iof the
| pictured states Tint 1t was painted in 1901"
| from life ut Granada. Columbus died in 1000.
Mr.. Harrisso finds that the portrait holds In
tho hand q map that happens tn lc nothing
else than tho nappn mm,td constructed ~ tho
| German Johannes Ruysch In 15,N and pub
llshed with the second issue ~ the Rome Ttol-
envy OF that year" Tho dntcs conflict. Ergo.
"thc picture itself. viewed at least as n lpr-
trait Of Christopher Columbus. Is sheer Itai-
Ian fabrication"
The logic is quite brilliant md really incon.
It Is said / speak hy authority -thnt tho
nE rsn MSat date o. the rc'SMFs il 70, Sl
"sicai sirSst"rr! Il iss to rietss !iss
house of cards and leaves the picture just whit
ns 1s'@ n4 whc lam" H"
has ns yet been author itntlvoly claimed. Th.,
n%rs ta What nj tic TarT re
dicates and. strange as 1t may appear IT, Atr.
Hnrrisse. It i. not his desire I" boom /" tho
Mr.. Hnrrssc. however. can scarcely DO ex.
lending information Instead ~ being mis-
lod he Il trying to mislend l,y statements mat
1t may 10 we'll. therefore. to contradict some
of them after Mr. Hnrrisses own rhetorical
Il is not true" TINT the present owner, .,
i n st i VT wax p"asa rGm i5 y e. s
from skrtcn 81 colam ,..,n mad. ~, y s,mo
T%5 S5S%I; = is &ynso "y Angelo rvS'"a
han,i "hanrcns to .. noth'nx eIIss ,lan ihe
map N tha West Indies with skirtin.
tho north coas. OF Brazil Mt the bottom. 1t re-
fSmkss the uys; map n 9ssprs,
fasiier mcdiatriy, and Greedily copied tho
nas. m MI u,a Il, %hyy I ny c"yyss
tho spelling Of tho names? There will br s'nli,,
aS ss i. Syse TSs sus
g. fS", tSm to otn s @
tho Nsnetian Embsssy at tii"nHda FOR bonsn:
leo MaIipisrc. the historian and Senator Tint
ss tint amy nHf. nSs s" II
& rsss"nIns with NJ: I I. th.t Ssssus%s
toric weight. and that because u circumstance
l. not Of record therefore It never hapnoned
cause there s sseoS% y + f.
H ffM documents: As for o til" iisiutcd
ever r' Whistler It ia a painters skssoh Of lie
RsEi Il. passs5 Il IL Ssiss SSu% tho
Jus; IN the least dseNs: but. ..,,-.
NJ is not true ,T TINT thin or. according to
Brazil. wi,ieh ho lCoumbusl never discovered
3r t. ys M der Visited at any
Knows sSsy Is we'll t thasths ESSseh map i"eudss
fsrnolsS sven as Gree"snS He tno S very
s"t s se eSs to Re asst 1 81
merely Indicates the northern line q Brazil.
dHS 'f nttnsn;9S hat sheEi the Me:!
man OF Brazil" H. Tretched bubble that
ahAptiyaIv action
jealous patriots. here IN America, II Mr..
Harrisse has written his Columbus histortes
yritIns s not tho "histtoErIIcal Information"
tA?f 9"S 'FfSsr HSs%%f On tho Lotto
tions'S. Mr. iarrisse has been venturgsomo
venture to think TINT MIR. Harrisse has never
seen this CANVAS md is throwing out Wild
Even had lad R ho examined the canvns With 4
microscope we should scarcely BIO willing to
thsn he
that the portrait Of Colum my. was eyer drawn:
not make a competent Judge or a competent
jurymnn. however brilliant his qualities us =
But enough Tor the the present. Some authori-
fative statement about the Lotto portrait will
p" Would 'S ess eHs
formed Il month ago that his historical In
nhout the picture was mlsnior;
so i,; and ali things Columbian IL could
not resist the opportunity to assert his monOp.
by even against the writer's Of printed aliI's.
ounded and audaciois nssertions" called Tor
II roply." II IL not dflcult to knock down
nan OF straw, especially II ono has set 1t up
or knocking down purposes.
RUTGERS COLLEGE, NEW 'f BKuss VIC M! I. j..
April 80.