The herald., 1896-09-17
WORKS OF THE OLD MASTERS
A Fine Collection Of Old Oil Paintings On
View
Los Angeles Art Association-A
Great Discovery.

In the commodious quarters which
have been opened just two weeks in the
Wilcox building by the Los Angeles Art
association, the fact has again been
demonstrated that the glorious field for
artists, which, coupled with our almost
perfect climate, make Los Angeles
spot which is worthy of comparison with
those far more celebrated, is gradually
being recognized, and when such men
as T. P. Harmon of San Francisco and
r. A. Boccasini, lately of Cleveland. o.,
who studied in Trieste, Austria, under
Italian masters. associate themselves
and others of equal ability in opening a
school for the benefit and encourage
ment of the artistic element of this city,
the latter have good cause to congratu-
late themselves.
Mr. Harmon has a private COLLECTION
which is well worth seeing, and is at
present on exhibition every day in the
rooms. comprising some of the Oldest
pictures ever placed before the public
on this coast. A large number of these
pictures. ranging in age from 15O to 500
years, are so old as to necessitate being
restored or retoned, which Mr.. Harmon
does entirely without the aid of
brush. by chemical method discovered
by himself, and which he has spent
years in perfecting and improveing. Mr..
Harmon is very enthusiastic over this
discovery, and intends in the no-distant
future taking it to Europe, where he
thinks it will accomplish wonderful re-
suits. The pictures were originally Sc
cured during the reign of Napoleon, by
the soldiers as plunder and afterwards
sold by them. since which time they
have been collected from different parts
of Europe and brought over here. The
pictures are in various stages of decay,
which has made it necessary to cut
them down from time to time, thereby
destroying all traces of any name of the
painter, but they undoubtedly belong
to the schools of the different masters
Rubens, Michael Angelo. Titan. Flem-
ish, Venetian, ETC., and to a connoisseur
of ancient art would be very valuable.
There is one portion of what seems to be
"The Ascension" which Prof. Bocca-
sini thinks must be at least 800 years old,
and which has been SO badly cut and
mutilated that it barely holds together.
A great many Of these, in fact nearly all,
are sacred pictures and have been own
ed by the Catholic church. which is an
other evidence of their being good pic
lures, for the Catholic church in those
days secured all of the best. There Is
also German landscape by Grenzner
and sketch of an ancient Jewish mar
riage by Del Soto, of the Spanish school.
which latter is probably at least $50
years old.
1t is the purpose of the school, which
is under the sole direction of Prof. Boc-
casini, to give series of exhibits, be-
ginning with ancient art, representing
art in its early infancy. and gradually
merging into modern art, which should
be very interesting as well as instruct
i've, and which will undoubtedly be a
treat to all picture lovers as well as be-
ing, on account of the age of the first Sc
ries, that is, the ancient pictures. a
great curiosity to the general public,
and as it is the intention of the associ-
alton to keep these exhibits open for
several months it can safely be said that
these exhibitions will soon be ranked
among the sights of Los Angeles, and
will add to our present attractions not
little.
Mr. Harmon's idea to set aside one
day of each week for the inspection of
these art treasures by the teachers and
school children, is one that is worthy of
commendation, as it would prove to be
a potent factor in the development of
the taste and judgment of the young in
this direction. We often amid the prac
ticalities of our modern life, fail to real
iZe how much Importance to a commun-
ity is the maintenance of the artistic
spirit in its midst. and it is to be hoped
that those who are earnestly striving to
create and maintain this influence will
have at least the cooperation and ap-
probation of the public.
Nowhere west of the Mississippi river
is so much wealth. culture and leisure
centered as in Southern California, and
1t is a matter of comment among visit
ors, with our fast increasing facilities,
that there is not more of true artistic
spirit shown, when the inspirations
that should result from our glorious
surroundings are taken into considera-
ton.
Los Angeles is slowly awakening to