New-York tribune., 1901-02-06
LONDON ART.
rREAsrRE-TRovE IL BOND STREET
FROM DENONSHIRE - PHoTOGRAY-
TRES OF THREE COLLECTIONS OF
MASTERPIECES A CENTURY
OF WATER COLORS-CAR.
PACCTO ILLUSTRATED
London. January Il

London. January Il.
npe never knows what he VIII find in Bono
street when he has leisure for a stroll on 2
rsiny morning. on entering the art rooms o.
william Daig & Co I saw a large Spanish can.
.ss with Christ and three disciples looking az
$40 naralytic Of Bethesda, who was about to b.
healed II WAS not labelled old master hut Z
sinCle glance sufficed 10 convince one that il
had been painted generations ago. when re.
ueious art was real and earnest The painting
has a strange history. with important links in
the chain Of evidence missing. For hundred
years it has been hidden in Devonshire Wher
II was first brought from Spain nobody knows
Possibly. like other treasures Of art. it was
stolen looted in war time and smuggled into
England. II bears Unmistakable marks of hav-
ing been cut with painstaking care into three
sections. so as 10 facilitate concealment and
hacking. Its early history is uncertain but II
Is known 10 have been in the possession Of two
women Of Devonshre during the last century.
One of them bequeathed il TO the other who was
her housekeeper. with the warning that il was
not - be parted with as il had great value
The housekeeper apparently did not know
who had painted it, but preserved it with great
care After her death. which occurred recently.
her husband brought the picture 10 light: and
Il is now in Bond Street and is pronounced by
.
Sir John Charles Robinson. the Queens sur
veyor Of pictures. and an expert in Spanish art.
is emphatic In declaring that II is a genuine
Murill0. Sir Edward Poynter. who has care
fully examined ii, is more reticent but stated
that the pigments were certainly those used in
the seventeenth century
The picture is very beautiful and is virtually
8 replica Of the well known AIurillo now in the
possession Of Mr.. Ernest George Pretyman, at
Orwell Park near Ipswich. and reproduced
among the prints at the British Museum. The
two paintings contain the same number Of fig
rres. and virtually Of the same dimensions
The canvas at Orwell Park gives a better view
Ct the pool Of Bethesda. but the Devonshire
replica II it be one. has nobler beauty in the
face OF the Christ and the blue robe draped
around him is purer in color The paralytic
lies helpless in the foreground. his face betray-
ing anguish and despair, and his hands out
stretched for help in reaching the pool. He 6oes
not know that he is in the presence Of healer
but sees only the group OF four one OF whom
surely may be moved with compassion and may
carry him into the water. Christ stands by
with figure lightly posed and with face beaming
with genteness. tenderness and serenity. The
lips almost seem to move with the coming Rise
take up thy bed and walk" Close behind the
sick man are Peter. James and John. with
their eyes fastened upon him with an expression
Of curiosity mingled with pity, hut with nothing
10 indicate expectation Of q miraculous cure.
They stand in the shadow Of one OF the FIVE
porohes, Peter in dull brown robe, John In a
subdued red. and James behind them, peering
over their shoulders. The picture is lighted so
as 10 bring out the contrast between the faces
of the Saviour and the cripple. The beggar in
his rags is the embodiment OF disease wretched-
ness snd heplessness. Christ stands gracious
in mercy. supreme in dignity. with the hand
slrsady raised TO help. and with sense OF
near divinity lighting up the face.
seems almost incredible that a genuine
Murillo should have been concealed for genera
tons in Devonshire; but this canvas apparently
was painted by a master hand and not by any
copyist OF the last century. II It be an au-
thentic work ii would be treasure-trove indeed
for an American gallery.
In the same gallery there are three collections
OF photogravures directly reproduced from mas
terpieces in the Imperial Gallery at ST. Peters
burg, the Prado at Madrid and the National
Gallery IN London. These represent the finest
quality OF the German art Of photogravure. The
Russian collection includes thIrty-seven Velas-
euezes twelve Murillos twenty Titians eight
Raphaels. and fine examples Of Rembrandt, Van
Dyck Rubens and other painters. The Her
mitage collection was founded by the Empress
Catherine ana enriched by three great
puTchases-the gallery Of Count Bruhl, Prime
Minister 10 the King Of Poland. containing Van
Dycks famous portrait OF william of Nassau.
Prince Of Orange, several Rembrandts and a
good group Of Dutch genre paintings; the Gro
Hat collection, including RaphaePs ST. George
and the Dragon once in the possession Of
Charles l. and many early Italian examples,
and the Houghton Hall treasures. purchased
from Horace walpole for S:5 oO0-one OF the
greatest bargains for the purchaser ever made
in the annals OF art These gems OF the three
collections have been reproduced in the highly
finished style Of German photogravpre, which
combines the accuracy OF the camera with the
softness OF mezzotint. The splendors Of the
Spanish and French rooms in the Hermitage.
two Of the most glorious galleries I'm Europe.
cannot be transferred in black and white 10
portfolios. but this is indeed a superb series Of
monochrome translations Of famous works.
which cannot ne seen except on the banks OF
the Neva- The Rembrandts come out with
marvellous clesrness and power: the Puritan
Lord Wharton, who occupied the place of honor
last year at the Van Dyck show in Burlington
House. is no less beautiful in black and white,
and is rivaled by the reproduction Of the Prince
Of Nassau. one Of the Inarvels OF portraiture;
tho Murillos make Up the best group OF Spanish
art 10 be seen outside Of Madrid. and Raphaols
''St George" Titian's "Danaa" and the Wat
feaus Lancrets. BottieeIis ana Leonardos COM
plete the portfolio.
The 'AIuseo del Prado" is a companion 10
''The Hermitage" and reveals the masterpieces
OF the Spanish and Italian schools. A great
feature Of the second portfolio is the veasquezes
thirty-seven in number which come out in
black and white as strongly the Rembrandts.
There are also a dozen Murillos. wonderful in
beauty and grace, and there are twenty Titians