The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-06-04

| OhS SAS n AhI pALACh
Exterior Of the palacea
SAID also that her lawyers have as
sured her that she has now fulfilled the
requirements Of the law and that she
need not open her palace again if she
| does not wish to do so. From the se-
| strlctions thrown about the museum on
| the few occasions on which it has been
open to the public. with tickets at 81 g
head and these tickets limited in num-
Der. it is not unreasonable to suppose
that Mrs Gardner will receive her law
yers' assurances with joy.
Outwardly the 'palace' is unimpos-
ing, with its high. long, plain walls.
broken by windows of the simplest
sort and covered by a roof of red tile
pitched barely enough to let the rain
run off, but the interior is described by
one of the favored ones who have been
permitted to enter the sacred precincts
as beautiful in the extreme. 1t was
Mrs. Gardner's wish that her museum
should be unlike any other, and her
wish seems to have been accomplished
The most striking feature of the gal
iery is the courtyard. Running around
this courtyard is narrow promenade
In which tall palms are interspersed
with famous specimens of old Italian
statuary. On either side of the entrance
are panels representing Scriptural
scenes, and on the left is niche where
collection Of stucco figures show the
crucifxion. The structural decorations
around the courtyard are Of marble
and brick, with two mute guards in
Roman armor bearing battleaxes and!
shields and two huge stone lions. The
central part of the yard Is filed with
beds Of rare flowers and with tropical
trees, through which wind graveled
walks. At the farther end Of the yard
is Venetian fountain which for cen
turtles adorned the estate of one of the
great families of Venice. Indeed, so far
as possible, the materials for all the
building. even the window jambs and
doorways, have been taken from Venice.
The rooms in which the pictures and
statues are placed have been designed
to reproduce the surroundings from
Raphael room, for instance is fitted up
In the Italian style with craven chests
and quaint old chairs and stools, mark
ing the luxurious taste of the middle
ages.
The Chinese room on the second floor
is finished in Chinese dead gold and
hung with the richest kinds of tapes
tries, gongs and all sorts of curious
specimens of Chinese art, many of
which once belonged to emperors of
the Celestial Kingdom. A Gothic room
or chapel follows carefully the require
ments of Gothic art, and Dutch room,
Persian room and Veronese room
are similarly complete. All these apart
ments are grouped about the court
yard.
A music room equipped for any kind
of entertainment and said to be one of
the largest in any private establish
ment in the United States, extends
across one end of the building on the
ground floor. Over this is the main art
gallery, which contains some of the |
most noted pictures extant. It's gor-
geous ceiling was taken from an Ital-
ian palace and set here in it's original
form. Among the pictures here is Tt
t1an's Europa and the Bull which
Rubens declared to be the finest paint
ing in the world. There are also Velas-
quez's full length portrait of Philip
". of Spain, a Botticelli Madonna and
Botticelli's death of Lucretia." one Of
the finest works of the Florentine mas
ter. A portrait of Rembrandt painted
Sy himself is another famous canvas,
Mrs. Gardner has a fine collection of
the works of American artists, includ-
Ing several Whistlers. On the Raphael |
room is that artists portrait of Cardi-
nal 1nghirami, the replica Of which Is
hung in the Pitt palace.
Among the pieces Of furnituae scat
tered through the corridors are seven |
Borghesi chairs which were the prop |
erty of Pope Paul T.. and other ara
cles of great age and inspiring eradi-
don. On one Of the walls is che stand.
ard Of Napoleon's Old Guard.
Without producing any ineongruous
effect, the whole palace has all the
modern improvements, including an e.
evator, electric lights and hot air fur.
naces. It is unfortunate that a mu-
scum so original and so complete can
not be at all times free to lovers of the
beautiful. VAN DYKE BROWN.