The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
"THE REAL CIMABUE."
A TAes b Certainly known Absut hin
-Artistio and Historic Values.


LoNpoN, April io--Those who have read
Douglas LAngtons long article entitled
'Ths Real Cimabue.' In the March num-
bsr Of the Nineteenfh Century will know
hat for people who pride themselves upon
possessing works Of art executed by Cenni
d Pepi. commonly called Cimabue. here
y distressing news. Concerning the Gina.
bus rsfssrsd to BY Dante a. distinguished
rorsatine painter, holding the neld before
0iotto, his rsputed pupil, Mr.. LAngton,
sltsr rsviswing all available documentary
evidenos that 10 contemporary and credible.
writes:
IAN, then, that we know about this Cenni
drspi h that he was distinguished roren-
tlns artist; that he was nicknamed Cimabue;
Nat he nourished In the closing years Of
ne thirteenth century and the early years
Of the fourtsanth. and that he executed
= mosaic and IN altar-piecs at Pisa. OF
vh1ch the latter has disappeared and the
femsr hes been entirely renewed
h goss on TO point out how, early In the
sixteenth century, the Florentine writer's
upoo art provided Cimabue with list Of
worhs end with q legend--stories Of his
hls--stolsn chiefly from Siena, where pso-
~ vsfe more occupied In painting than
n writing Of II. He tells how the lie made
IN rorsncs sped impetuous and triumphant,
% that TO the cultured curate the word
Tzmabue' was as blessed as 'Mesopotamia';
tAe AAoriland extensionist In the plains OF
Oanterbury babbled Of Cimabue. and high
tuned Californians at literary teas repeated
vssads stolen story Of The Passing Of the
Hcture' lin procession TO the church In
which Il was TO be placed.
And the upshot Of the matter Ia that Gina
bus was not the father Of Italian painting;
that 0iotto was not his pupil: that the we'll
Known Rucelsai Madonna, In the church
a eta. Maria Rovella, hitherto attributed
10 Cmabue. Is probably the work OF
Ducdo d Buoninsegna, and that. In short.
no work exists which can with certainty
- called the work Of Gmabue.
Now, In the public galleries and private
collections Of Europe and America there
are probably hundreds Of pictures attrib-
uted to Cimabue. There must be In exist
ence very many people who. because Of
this attribution. have bought that which
thsy would otherwise not have bought, or.
q least. who have paid more for II than
they would otherwise have paid.
zhss they probably possess either
foeosRy. more or lees good imitation Of
the style supposed to be that Of Cimabue
land such limitations are being produced
In Italy every day or q work OF art which
b perfectly genuine In all respects save In its
sttribution to Cimabue. In the latter case.
he difference between the sum they paid
for the work a. Omabue and the sum they
would have paid for It as an anonymous
wosk Of an represents the value they attach
b tame, fashion, notoriety. or perhaps
hstoricai significance. over and above
that which b the primary object, the true
snsntiAl Of work Of art-its beauty.
II man 90 out to buy timed sardines
end sslsct brand which. although dearer
than others. he knows to be q guarantee Of
excellence. he is wise. always supposing
thst he can afford II. Yet the other un-
hDown brands may be better. II he were
Allowed 10 taste the various kinds, and still
Invested In the dearer one in preference
- the hsftsrtasjng nnaa. hs would b