The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-15
L PRICELESS RUBBDS
FOUND IN BAL4IH0RB
DiSCOVerer Now at Work at
the White House.
SKETCH FOR "CRUCCfiFF IIxl0N7
apparently 30 Doubt q to Geaaine-
ness Of Picture-VaiHs8 az SIoo, Gee
Found in Catholic School by 4.
Wiedenbach, an Artist Cennoisseur.

Mr.. H WeIdenbaeh. Baltimore
artist Of great ability, who Is a present
at work in the artistic decoration O. me
White House. believes he has discover
ed a genuine Rubens painting IF great
value in Catholic nuns school in Bal
timore-
Mr. weidcnbach is an artist Of ex-
tensive experience in retouching old
pictures, and he has studied closely
the masterpieces to be found in the
famous European galleries lie has No
doubt as TO the genuincss of his find.
The work bears the Initials r. R =
which the famous Flemish artist was
wont to put on his best canvases, and
this is regarded by connoisseurs who
have seen the find as an undoubted
mark Of Identification.
Original Sketch of "Crucifzion."
TIE painting, which is owned by the
Visitation Nuns. Park Avenue and Cen
ter Street, Baltimore, who conduct the
Visitation Academy. is the +tCruciiffizsiit,s
Of Christ and IS regarded by an art
critic as the original sketch of the great
picture Of the 'Crucifxion," by Rubeas,
which is now in the Louvre in Paris
The few persons who have seen the work
have been unable 10 express fully their
admiration for so fine masterpiece
The painting is on wood and is in
high state Of preservation. II is about
thirty by forty inches, and its great
value, perhaps, is that each figure is q
perfect miniature
The panel was brought to the convent
about thirty-five years ago by a widow
who became a nun of the Visitation Or
der and who is now known as Sister De
Chautal.
Story of the Find
For a long time the painting hung on
the walls Of one of the convent paTlors.
and some OF the nuns never gave t.
more than a passing glance. Nor dit
vigitorgseeaIize the value and beauty o
the work.
While working in Baltimore recently
Mr. Weidenbach was engaged to do some
work by the nuns at Visitation Convent.
He has had much experience in His line
and studied under some OF the forsJaost
masters Of painting OF the last century.
lie has been employed by the Vatican
authorities = retouch some OF the vaiu-
able art tre..J IS there and IS con-
versant with art Il ali its details, having
also viewed closely the vteat master
pieces in the galleries OF Europe.
Mr. weidenbach in Ecstacies.
as soon as he saw the .-CrucifxfoEl'' at
the Park Avenue convent he went into
ecstacies. This admiration was greatly
increased when he discovered on the Jeff
arm Of st. John, one Of the figures, the
initials p. r" paul Rubens). When
the painting was thoroughly cleaned it
was placed in a glass case and is now
kept III one OF the private parlcTs of the
convent, where Il has been seen By
favored few.
Mr. Weidenbach has not the slightest
doubt that the painting IS the original
sketch made by Rubens for his great
work Of the Crucifixion, made so familiar
10 all lovers Of art by the steel engrav-
ings Of the Flemish artists master
piece
May Have Been Joseph Bonaparte.
MI W StIGADdCA says l. CdA SelSllJ JC
explained how the Rubens picture hap
pened to be in New York and how it
could have been bought at that time
at q small price. IN 1882 art values
were at their lowest ebb in this country.
Mr. Weidenbach thinks that The Cruel
fxion" was brought 10 this country By
Prince Joseph BOnapaTte, who had con
veyed TO his home at Bordentown, y. J.,
two shiploads Of works Of art which his
ilIustrtous brother-Napoleon taken
from the capitals Of Europe. These pic
lures were afterward scattered. and
some Of them, great art treasures, were
sold almost for : song.