The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-06
THE VASE.
What Grue1le Says of 1t I'm His Book
on the Walters Collection.
Baltimore Sun.

Baltimore sun.
The following article on 1.-The Peachblow
Vase, in the w. I. Walters art collection
Critical and Biographical, by r. b. Cru
ellie, Collection Of w. 7. Walters'-evident-
CHAPTER x sa au r. Tse SsgIlsat f rIII bs w6 asser it i
is careful not to say that the '~'peachbloom'
vase. OF which 50 much was said some
years ago IN the press. is in the waters
is. There are many peachbloom vases in
the collection, but this little vase it is
urged, has for the knowing a message"
and a value which would make 1t cheap at
$15oco. or any PRICE up to "a million dol
lars. In a specil case in the oriental gal
lery,," says the article. "will be seen a
OF porcelain, but once let your eye feast
on the exquisite simplicity of this vase"
etc The word this" is evidently meant
to be significant. 1t is plainly claimed for
the Walters collection that it possesses a
unique specimen. and the reader is led to
infer that it is the one that made so much
noise and SO mysteriously disappeared a
Some years ago the world was startled
by the news that a small vase, the prop
erty OF a lady OF wealth, had been disposed
of at an enormous price. The incident was
glibly commented upon by those self-con-
stituted learned men who dispose of things
beautiful, born of the celestial spheres.
with the same quill with which they deal
out intellectual beatitudes on pork or base
ball. For them this little vase will have
liO iucSSdSc. u pIOpOTllouS dTt entirely
too diminutive. but il all the beautiful
thoughts, all the lovely hues-in fact, if
all the beauty of the art and nature of the
land of the celestial were distilled and re-
fined into some material and shaped into
one object, that object might be the peach
bloom vase. 1t is the perfect Towering of
elimination of centuries of the most sacred
devotion to the shrine of beauty. 1t is a
gem that needs no settings; SO frail, so per-
feet, that contrast with things less aes-
thetic seems almost ga rilQpfOIIS.
Its form is. pure. beautiful and self
poised. Its color, while dainty. is match
conveys only a shadowy description of its
delicate beauty. Its glaze is of great per-
lection. When you gaze into its depth the
surface is lost. and it is as. If you were look
Its indescribable pink is threaded with fine
veins or messy green that are charming.
Its beauty cannot be measured by bounds
or limitations; there are no rules by which
1t can be analysed. You feel it's power
coming on you like the odor of some I'M
seen field Of wild jessamine. Within the
limitations of its simple form there is en-
bodied something which all the wealth of
the world cannot create. A spirit Is ex-
pressed in It that all the centuries of our
boasted civilization cannot duplicate. Go
where you will in any cline, you may
search the treasures of all created beauty
for its counterpart. 1t is not to be found.
Then, can such a marvel be measured by
wealth? What, though ii cost a million
dollars, fifteen millions could not replace
II? In a special case IN the oriental gall
lery will be seen a number of fine speci-
mems OF this variety of porcelain, but once
let your eye feast on the exquisite sim
plicity OF this vase and you have advanced
into a higher realization of beauty.
The first Introduction of this wonderful
piece of porcelain was one of exultation, Of
joy never to be forgotten. Each success
sive sitting with it brought new influences,
new sensations of delight, until it's beauti-
full spirit had found ~an+abode where it
will linger until eternity. Its plain, simple
surface is without a touch Of decoration,
vet it is the perfection OF decorative art.
It's entire surface might be covered with
your hand, vet Ii contains a world of grace.
1t is as If the spirit of beauty had found a
new birth. had been reincarnated into its
simple form. 1t is said that one of the
porcelains that was held sacred by the
ancient celestials. whose blue color was
likened TO the sky after a rain, became al
most extinct, and the pieces of 1t, being as
rare as the most precious stones. were
worn as jewels. So who knows but that
in the countless generations to come the
fragments of this charming vase may like
wise rival the precious stones of those
days? Surely nothing could surpass it's in
trinsic beauty. Those who are fortunate
enough to nave felt its charm can con-
graduate themselves on having seen some
thing that has no counterpart on the
civilized world"