The Washington times., 1901-10-06

same narrow hall, with its slender stair
case. which the master OF the sketch
Book climbed, welcomes the visitor into
the exquisitely adapted ROOMS
Miss De Wolfe has never declared tny
particular ant!pathy for the society of
man. But engaging. indeed. must be the
swain who will he bold enough to offer
his attractions for those OF this charm
ing Adamless Eden.
Every room in the house is a gallery OF
art. Miss De Wolfe knows her Chippen-
dale. Bull Adam. and Sheraton, and evi-
dences Of her taste for antique furniture
greet the eye on every side.
The walls are hung with rare old tapes
tries and etchings and prints which are
delight to the artistic eye, and there are
stores of treasures on the bookshelves
and throughout the house. Among a no
table collection of autographs one OF
Washington Irving is reverently pre-
served
a pretty effect is achieved in Miss De
Woltes bedroom. the walls being huns
with glaze English chintZ in cream, with
rose design The bed is a wonderful piece
Of wood carving of the eighteenth CEN
tury and was brought from Normandy.
II is canopied and curtained with rose
silk and is finished with band of renais-
sance embroidery. on the mantel are
signed photographs Of Sardou. Calve.
Camille Flammarion, Du Maurier, ana
others.
one of the most recent additions to
Miss De Wofe's art treasures Is an
Annabale Carrdce. painted in 1881. The
subject Is the infant Jesus with John the
Baptist, the latter holding lamb in his
arms. The background Is dull ltalan
blue. the color so much affected by the
early masters. The painting came 10
Miss De Wolfe as an heirloom when she
was in her early teens. Her discovery
of its value and its addition TO her dis
played canvases is quite recent ana
somewhat interesting.
The actress says she remembers the
picture hanging on the walls OF the
Fountain Grove mansion, the home or her
grandfather. alexander Cipeland- IN
Canada. When the canvas came to her.
Miss De Wolfe, whose taste is almost
wholly for the French school of art
failed to recognize it as a masterpiece
and had il hung in an obscure corner OF
an upper room of her house. In making
the usual autumn upheaval she concluded
to get rid Of the painting and sent Tor a
coaucisseur. Fifty dollars at the most
was the estimate of value placed on the
work by the actress. and she was quite
willing to sell it a that figure. The expert
went into cCstaSies when he saw the can
vas His enthusiasm made the actress
cautious The man declared it to be
genuine Annabale Carace.
and its value?" Miss De Wolfe asked
six or seven thousand dollars, the
Miss De Wolfe consulted other authori-
ties Immediately. the result of which was
the retention Of prize she came so very
near losing.
the walls of this luxurious home is the
famous portrait Of the Duchess de Cha-
teauroux, by Natter.
This portrait has been mentioned by
the de Goncourts as one of the very
finest works of this popular French por-
trait painter of the eighteenth century.
Edmond de Goncourt is said to have as
l. IL NVanWa aFaVFru
the famous portraits by Natter OF the
daughters of Louis XIV, which adorn the
galleries of Versailles.
-Four charming arm chairs in Aubusson
tapestry are signed Jacob. They are
very similar to a set of chairs by the
same maker, which are in the Louvre.
In the bay window is a marble baptis-
NAL fount of the seventeenth century.
beautifully chiseIed on the walls of the
main gallery of this bachelor girls room
hang some exquisite pastelles gouches,
and drawings by La Tour. Drouais, Van
Rlarenburghe. Cochin. Fills, Thomassin,
and Hubert Robert
In a niche at the left Of the drawing
room is a beautiful bust of n young girl.
signed Jean Antoine Houdon,' and on a
stand by its side Is a bronze by fal-
comet. on n console by the window is
a graceful terre cutie of two figures by
Clodion a conspicuous piece Of furni-
ture near by is a rare seventeenth cen
tury spinnet by Andreas RUckers. a dupli-
cate Of the one made by him for Madame
de Pompadour.
There is a vitrine filed with small OBJ
jects, all of which are priceless; a snuff
box by Pettitot. miniatures by Pilmer.
Francois. Soiron. and Frangonard: an
eighteenth century etui given to- Miss De
Wolfe's great grandmother by the Mar
Guis de Lafayette: a thimble presented to
this same grandmother by Lord Byron.
a sixteenth century poison ring, and a
ver1is- martin fan. which was once car
ried by Marie Antoinette.
Report say that Miss De Wolfe lays
little stress on her prestige as social
leader: she holds that one of the most po-
tent forces Of happiness is devotion to
some pursuit worth while She lives in
her art and In the qualification of her ar
tistic desires.