The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-05
FIVE WEEKS ABROAD.
VIII

with considerabl BILE hesitation that the
writer attempts to say anything about
the great paintings, the points and fea-
lures of which can only be fittingly de-
scribed by those especially well in
formed along these lines. Even they, 1
fear, can scarcely give an adequate
reason to the average reader for the
enormous sums which pass between
buyer and seller when certain single
works of art exchange hands.
What is here said must be taken as
coming from a somewhat hasty and SUI
perficial view of the paintings and even
to this extent limited to those of the
greater regulations. For those who de-
sire more or less thorough visit to
this one gallery alone there is a special
plan easily secured for covering it in
twelve hals days, school by school. This
gallery may surely be visited with in
terest and instruction on every visit by
those who make frequent trips to
Europe. Setting aside but week to
the whole city, we found opportunity to
give but full half day to this one
place of much Importance.
The National Gallery was founded by
the British government nearly one hun
dred years ago, with a nucleus of three
or four dozen paintings. Additions to
the building and to the collections were
made from, time to time through ap-
preparations by parliament, gifts and
donations * royalty and wealthy peo-
pie, some in the nature of requests and
others on accession when the donor, as
we'll as the observer. could receive in
his lifetime the benefits of generosity.
These same remarks apply largely to
mcst of the museums and art galleries
visited in the various cities covered by
this brief journey through a portion of
Europe.
In this one building there are twenty
two galleries. large and small, several
one hundred feet long and half as wide
The schools covered are mainly the old
er ones. going back to the work of
artists of several centuries ago, and
are varied and comprehensive in the re-
suits exhibited 1t is said that the
artist student can obtain in this one
museum of art alone very good ac-
quaintance covering a wide period of
years OF diversified and artistic genius
Here is the work of the Italian. early
and late. the Flemish. the Venetian.
the Dutch. the Spanish the German
French and. older and modern British
experts of the brush. There were whole
rooms OF Madonnas. I did not suppose
there were 50 many in the world until
later we walked through the galleries
OF Paris We did not visit Italy. where
these religious subjects are covered in
acres of canvas
entrance to the gallery is generally
free, but there is a charge of q sixpenee
on Thursdays and Fridays. Thursday
was our day. We were told to avoid
these two days for the reason that the
places in front of the pictures were
more or less crowded by the easeIs of
students and artists, who were permit
tee on these days each week to copy
the works of the masters We fo,and
this. however, an additional feature of
interest and enjoyed seeing the indus
try of the copyist whose nearly COM
pleted work often seemed to us almost
or quite as good as the originals. the
fresher colors adding to the appear
ance, like a new suit of clothes to an
old man.
There were young women and old
ladies, youth and white-hafred men
with their paints and palettes. These
artists carr various sums for their
productions: the skilled ones getting.
it was learned, about fifty dollars for
copy which they sometimes executed
in week, but not every week. the
original costing the government from
ten to more than a hundredfold as
much.
The Madonna which attracted our
particular attention, by virtue of it's
celebrity and cost, is the one known as
the Madonna of the Ansidei' This
representation of the holy family was
Columbus sailed on his voyage of dis
covery- A man named Ansidei engaged
the artist to do the work to place it in
the family chapel in his church The
reader is IA miliar with the subject. IT
represents the virgin holding the Christ
child; a canopy above, with a rosary
suspended from either side, the woman
seated on a throne chair, at one side
John the Baptist and at the other St
Nicholas, with his mitred hood, book
and staff OF office. at his feet three
round rolls of breadato signify an Incl
town from famine.
This picture is said by the books TO
be the greatest and most important
work, at least in England. of the great
Raphael. The picture is about five by
seven feet in size and was bought
twenty years ago from the Duke of
Marlborough, in whose family it had
been for several generations, for the
fabulous figure $3.50. 900, which is said
to be the largest sum ever given for a
picture TIE recent purchase of 1.-The
Gainsborouch Hat by j. Pierpont
Morgan, my or may not have been
more than This sum. There have been
so many opinions and figures given
about the purchase by Mr.. Morgan that
an accurate. statement on this point can
scarcely be. made.
This galley is open every week day
and also on Sunday, except In the win
ter. and is Il constant source of enter
tainment ard instruction to throngs of
visitors froIsa all parts of the world.