The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-18
GREAT ART TREASURE. FOUND
Painting by Rubens Turns Up i'm an
Out-Of.the- Way Neck I'm Canada


New York, Feb 1.-THE Journal con-
Gains the following from Montreal: The
good people of Chicoutimi are in trans
port of JOY at what they suppose is the
discovery of a great art treasure. 1t is
an immense picture of St. Ambrose which
for fourteen years or more has hung in
the church of that out-of-the-way pace.
and it is said to be a real Rubens. which,
if proven, will make the picture worth
tens of thousands of dollars. The PIC
ture, which is very large has been placed
above the main altar, and hundreds from
miles around have come to see it ever
since the rumor Of it's supposed value has
gone about.
Chicoutimi, be it known, is a charming
little town. situated on high land, at the
head of the Saguenay River. quantities
of United States tourists visit 1t every
year on their way up the majestic Sague-
nay Riv error on their way down from
the celebrated Lake ST. John, with its
magnificent fishing and hunting grounis
AS a rule the train which brings visitors
from Lake st. John does not directly
connect with the Saguenay boats, and so
time is left to visit the town and the
beautiful falls near there.
The town is the seat of the Bishop OF
the District of Chicoutimi, a district
which comprises some 76,109. 449 acres of
land. The present incumbent of the See
Is Monsignor Labrecque, who, as may be
imagined, Is highly pleased with the 6.s-
covery, as he himself is a great student
of all "les beaux arts" The picture was
brought to Chicoutimi by his predecessor,
Monsignor Racine, who had 1t with him,
after his second visit to Rome AMI the
Holy Father, in 1885. Bishop Racine " as
always very reticent about the manner
in which he became possessed Of il. and
il is impossible to know whether he ac-
quired it in Rome or some other city on
| the continent. From his habitual Silence
On the subject it was thought that who
soever had parted with the painting in
favor of His Grace had done so on the
understanding that his or her name not
be known. What he did say, however,
was that the picture was one of great ar
tistic value and that intrinsically it vas
worth at least SIS, 900. Obedient to the
unexpressed wish of the late Bishop no
one ever attempted to find out where It
came from or the mystery Of its appear
ance In this part of the world so remote
from the place where it must have been
painted 1t is certain, however, that an
investigation has been set on foot at pres
ent to trace its past as this would great
ly facilitate the establishment of the
claims that have been made for it's SEN
uineness as an original Rubens,
For obvious reasons these efforts were
kept as quiet as possible but the matter
leaked out and created no end of SEN
sation and speculation, for it is consid-
cred almost certain that if it known that
there is a real Rubens at Chicoutfmi news
will certainly be received from Europe
as to where it originally belonged 1t is
a well-known fact among those familiar
with the history of the great masters
that Rubens painted a very large altar
piece representing st. Ambrose in the
Church Of Santa Maria de Navicolla in
Rome with side pieces representing group
of saints. It is described as being 50 Wig
orous in design, reminding one of .Iicnael
Angelo while as far as decorative skin
is concerned 1t gives proof Of the IN
fuence Of Titan, and In color7ng Of that
of Gulio Romano. The picture was no
doubt done at the time when Rubehs
was at his best in the production II re-
ligious tableux. Many of the subjects he
painted several times
Bishop Labrecque did not care 70 dis
cuss the supposed discovery himself. but
he authorized Father E. Delmarre. the
superior OF the Seminary of Chico1tini,
to speak for him and the latter gentIe-
man said: I'VE did notsuspect that Il
was a Rubens till a short time agn. Sew
eral people who saw 1t stated 1t as their
conviction that the painting was IN orr
ginal, but none Of them felt themselves
TO be enough Of the connisEeur 10 back
up his assertion with solid proof. The
picture IN question has been here only
since 1ss5. when il was brought from Eti-
rope by the late Bishop Racine. when be
returned from his second vfsi. 10 Rome
Where he got # we do not know. A Ger
man gentleman. who for years has Se-
voted his life to art, happened 70 yiE!, the
church some time ago. and az SOON as lie
saw the picture declared that It was
either a Rubens or a msgnihcef1t copy