Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-20


abandoned for a higher standard-that of
an exclusive connoisseur's collection. Near
ly two hundred pictures were sold, all of
them works of well-known artists. While
this raised the standard of the gallery. it
reduced its size more than half, for fine
examples of the work of great painters
cannot be picked up as rapidly as poor
ones can be sold. This result as Mr. Brooke
modestly describes it, SIS collection of
pictures singularly free from Objectionable
or inferior canvaSes.
Mr. Waggaman neYer took much interest
in the "old masterss1 and has very few of
their works. The most ,uiotable is a fif-
teenth century triptych by Hans Memlingh,
one of the leaders of the early Flemish
! school, painted abopt l460Sa47o. 1t is per-
haps the only work by that artist in Amer
lea. He did not paint mHny pictures, and
most OF them are now in the museums at
Brussels and Bruges. This is painted upon
wood, the central panel being occupied by
Madonna and Child and the side panels
containing likenesses of William Morell a
rich merchant of Flanders and his daugh-
ter, In the attitude of alteration. The pic
ture was painted at his expense as gift
for a church in Belgium
There is a Holy Family" by Van Dyck,
replica of one in Rome but differing from
1t In the position of some of the subjects
ana otner portions of the figures.
Best Art of the Century.
Mr.. Waggaman has theory that the art
of the past one hundred years is best rep
resented by the works of the English school,
the Barbizon group, the modern Dutch
group and two or three American painters.
Hence he has confined his collection to
those limits, and in the opinion of the best
critics 1t is strong in a few spots and very
weak in others. Dutch pictures predomi-
nate. 1t is claimed that no other collection
IN America is so rich in the works of the
modern Dutch school. Mr.. Waggaman
prides himself upon the fact that he was
one of the first to discover it's merits and
to encourage its best efforts. There are
more than fifty examples in oil and water
colors, ana In order to secure them Mr..
Waggaman sent his representative to Hol-
land year after year to buy the first choice
out of many exhibitions With one or two
exceptions they have never been exhibited
in this country.
The gem of the collection is Grand
fathers Consolation" by Josef Israels,
showing an old man seated in a straight
back armchair in dimly lighted room
with his little grandchild upon his knee
Mr.. Brooke says:
1T is the reward of many years search
for an example having the atmospheric
quality of the artists Alone in the
World, with more of refinement cheerful
ness and charm of color "Grandfather's
Consolation appeared in loan exhibition
of 120 pictures by Israe els, shown in Bond
street, London. 1t held the place of honor
there and was the acknowledged leader, be-
ing then owned by Mr. Forbes the great
London collector. Mr.. Waggaman opened
negotiations with him, which lasted many
months, during which Mr.. Forbes success
siVely onered several other works of Is
raePs, of which he owned sixty. He final
ly yielded but at a heavy price The pic
ture should sell for anywhere between $25,.
600 and 100000. according to the critical
judgment of the buyer.
I'm Sheep Coming Out of the Forest the
collection has the picture of which Anton
Mauve won his Paris salon medal in 1887
ana from that date the high prices of this
artists works have risen. 1t is one of five
or six important Mauves in the country
and is the peer of any. 1t is not less val
liable than 'Grandfathers Consolation
Dordrecht,' by Jacob Maris is one of this
artists most important works and formed
his exhibit at the Munich exhibition of
1881, where it attracted considerable atten-
ton. Inferior worksfby this artist are held
at $4,000 and more by dealers
Ihere are other fine examples in Oil by
Albert Neuhuys, Kever, De Thoren, Kuehe
and William Maris. In the water color GAL
lery,' continued Mr.. Brooke, (which is ex-
clus1vely Dutch, Mr.. Waggaman has COL
iected from the annual exhibitions in Hol-
land choice examples of all the leading
Dutch water colorists. A dealer from AM
sterdam recently Said that he had never
known how fine the Dntch water-color
school was until he sawSthe Waggaman
gallery. Ian on the Baby STOOL by Is
racls. rivals In size and power some of the
artists best works of art. There are four
beautiful water colors by Mauve, one of
winch was recently appraised by Hollend
eNpef' at s4'oo DO ~
The Popular Pictures.
Perhaps the most popular picture in the
collection is THE. Flag of Truce" by
DeNeuville, large canvas representing an
incident in the Franco-Prussian war. Sec
ond in popularity is Sir Joshua Reynolds
ideal of Faith a study for one of six fig
ures made by him for stained glass win
dow in New Church College Chapel, Ok
ford. In conception and proportions it is
monumental. and is generally considered
the most masterful of all of the celebrated
group. THE Close of Day by Millett, is
the most conspicuous of the Barbizon
group, and also a great favorite with the
public. 1t is one of that artists best-known
works and has been repeatedly reproduced.
There are several other French pictures
OF great merit and value, and the thousands
who have had the privilege of visiting Mr..
Whaggaman's gallery will regret to have
The Duet in the Studio" After the Rall,,
and The Provincial Asylum taken away
from Washington