The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-28
THE WALLACE COLLECTION.
WHAT THE GREAT GIT TO THE
ENGLISH PEOPLE rs.

NJ
The news that the art collection Of Sir Richard
Wallace. X, c. b.. had been bequeathed by Lady
Wallace to tho English nation has Interested
the art community, both dealers and amateurs,
who from the time Of the announcement OF her
death have boon on the lookout TO learn the dis
position she had made OF the notable aggrcga-
ton OF art treasures, the greater part Of which
were got together by her husbands father, tho
fourth Marquis Of Hartford Of peculiar his.
tory. The value of the collection has been esti-
mated at from g., 900, 900 to 81, 1000, 00O, and the
dealers eyes have snapped as they thought Of a
sale beside which the big Morgan sale, which
amounted to 81, ZOO. 900. would appear almost
Insignificant. The fact that prior to his
death half u dozen years ago Sir Richard Wal.
lace had sought TO perpetuate the collection by
having 1t pass into the possession Of tho country,
under conditions which the Government could
not accept, made It seem not unlikely that 1t
would come into the market. Sir Richard re-
Qulrod that the Government continue the col.
lection In the house where 1t was, and that each
separate piece should remain In tho position II
then occupied. As the building stood ON leased
ground. acceptance by the Government was out
OF the question, since II would have placed the
exchequer at tho mercy OF the owners Of the
land.
It was reported that Sir Richard did not
greatly like the refusal. He left tho collection
at the disposition Of his widow, and hence the
wondering a. TO what she would do with II. 1t
Is said that her name was stricken from the
Queens visiting list long ago, and under the
circumstances her action In bequeathing the
art works to tho country appears In q
stronger light. Moreover she was the daueh.
ter Of . French army officer. and the colleo-
tion had been made principally In France. Her
husband. however. had been made q baronet by
Queen Victoria, although he was OF sinister de-
scent The baronetcy became extinct at his
death. Lady Wallace was In her 18th year when
she died at her London home, Hartford House,
Manchester square, where the collection il.
She was Julie Amelia Charlotte Castelnau.
daughter OF NJ. Bernard Castelnau. She
was married TO Richard Wallace In 1870,
when he was 81 years old. He was the
natural son Of Richard. the 70 urth Marquis o
HEREFORD, and was born when his father was Is
years old. His father, on his death on Aug. 25.
1870. bequeathed to him all Of the Hartford for
tune that could be alienatod. This amounted TO
R3,o00.o0 o and included the art collections that
the Marquis had spent q large part Of his LIE
and taken great delight In making.
The Marquis lived the greater part OF his lifo
In France and was something OF a recluse. al.
though he had q reputation for the gayeties that
sometimes continue long after youth Is past.
He had extensive estates in Ireland. He became
known In Paris as n froquenter OF auctions. Scarce
one went by Of any note without his attendance.
He was a free bidder and did not hesitate to pay
big prices for anything he wanted. He wanted
only nne things, but he wanted them in many
lincs. He collected paintings. miniatures. water
colors. furniture. armor. costumes, silver, arti-
cles OF vertu that had an interest In rarity. age
or association. He would pay thousands OF dol
lara for m liftla dsaE NJ Maria A ntoInatt.'a and a.
was pretty well known that no would outbid
almost any one when he sot out to get some
thing he wanted. He had q great deal Of Louis
XVI furniture and various reminders Of Marie
Antolnettc.
Samuel r. Avery OF this city. who saw his col
that a feature OF y which he especially noticed
at that time wac the great number OF miniatures
u bed ins MS Msre som SSesSSS eove Tse with Tflt s.s q, shs
Richly With diamonds. Mr.. Avery was in Paris
IN that year. 1887, In an Official or representa-
tive capacity, having, gone over to the EXPOSE
ton In charge Of the American exhibit In art.
auction rooms and OF his varied collections,
S nc : TOOK .a ne a., OPPORTUNITY trtI to 9, sddrss. ne
suisHi ana The Marquis Gsi.' Was 81 at his fs' scar Z. the the
Chateau OF Bagstelle, which Mr.. Avery remem.
hers as Just out OF tho Gity-it Is In the Bo,s dc
and was IN OF the gout- He sent a reply adyis-
him to his city residsnce. where, he said. Mr.,
Avery. upon presenting his INTRODUCTION, would
o osoe I've D s.ssy s Me- aSsr, and FOUND the hi. .r1 sSS,s
over q tailor shop in the Boulevard des I~tAliens.
He was shown through the rooms, literally
the oldest artists and with beautifully wrought
silver pieces, gorgeous costumes, the miniatures
handsoms furniture from the last OF the mon.
The paintings included some fine examples Of
older painters. MISSIONER being the notsbio eI,
MI. Avery says. are in tho collection. There i:
a. one s, tim. owned Nv. 9, e this h, country; which
Of tho chsrscteristic landscapes and viii 30 re-
% psinsISss o W saG 81 & sfiffsiiGns f p. wight TsS : q w the
hawtsn IN whose possession was the "Horse
rfiE;h NM Mr. w Hzsfs sss' s eaii.c .a'e oa sns i R'S,n e:
Fair the Rousseau was sold at a compar.
S Se'xssy s sRi.. Rf he M SGSPii.; o. shT Rsstaor 1as 81 r1 the
fac, that the painting could be repurehased. and
e%ln Sss 70 the Ssi fsct that at AMERICA slfis C ~ss not l,s S a i1sc
buy, e Of p such paint pSSin,insE s & that time hn"s It was
which sver was owned in the United States.
several times after tho F~ranoo'Pru.sian war.
when II had psssod into the possession OF the
Msrquls's son. In the mean time tho son had
lived amid the e%yciting experiences OF Paris
OF him., Mr.. Avery says, tho heir to the Hartford
title, a cousin, also being friendly with him.. Al
though OF the father In his celibate life unpleas-
ant things had been said. the son was held
In high regard and WAS OF excellent. rcpute. He
distinguished himself during the conflict by
s.sv,c noss era X. TS oi5ssal,lhns r% aT co amsu az RE
own expense. as well as one for tho city OF Paris,
and giving money TO tho city and distributing
food 70 the poor Of the city and vicinity during
100, oO6 francs tho subscription for the relief OF
those who were driven from their dwellings, and
he was tho agent through whose hands the Eng.
lish subscriptions for the relief OF the Parisians
passed. The left him alone. After
ihe war Thicrs made him a commander OF the
Legion Of Honor and Queen Victoria made him
q baronet
His father had died and no decided to remove
to London to 1.-Two, and take his fathers collection
with him. lie housed 1t at Bethnal Green, In
the far East End Of London. where an immense
railroad station-as large as the Grand Central
had been the only place. spacious enough to eo-
commodate 1t. There Mr.. Avery saw 1t for the
second time. He was In London on the day 1t
opened and went out 70 II. In tho modern Lon
don IL Ia tho work OF very nearly q day to get