Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30

inaIly belonged to the large collection OF
Cardinal Fesch. After the cardinals death
it was slowed away in the vaults OF the
Falconieri Palace for some years and In
1915 quite a number of them were dis
posed of to various art dealers. Some were
sold at public auction In Rome during TINS
year. Ii was bought and sent to London,
and finaly-after being hung for forty
years in the hall of a country mansion
was deposited IN warehouse. The origl-
nal owner having died. his family knew
! nothing of the value of number of his
paintings, and among others this Guido
was finally sent by the warehouse people
to the saIesrooms to fetch whatever was
offered. The auctioneer who sold it in
formed me that his instructions were to sell
it without reserve,' and as my bid was
the highest offered on the night in question,
he had accepted it.
1t is somewhat singular fact that an
| other of the Fesch paintings had an al
most similar history. though its fate was
! far more honorable one than my Guido has
| had so far This is the famous painting by
Michael Angelo, called The Entombment'
| now in the London National Gallery. The
| discovery of this painting by K. Macpher-
! son, photographer in Rome. in 1916, was
| most remarkable. 1t seems that this truly
| remarkable work was removed from the
residence of Cardinal Fesch in 1915 to the
| Villa Paolina and sold by the Principe di
| Musignano to a Roman art dealer named
! d. Vito Enei. Macpherson purchased from
| this dealer number of old canvases,
| among them The Entombment." He paid
| only a few dollars for several paintings
| When he had cleaned up the canvas he
showed it to Peter Won Cornelius, of
| the greatest art experts of the day, who
pronounced it a veritable Michael Angelo.
| In further confirmation of this opinion,
| the original cartoon of the painting done
| also by Michael Angelo, was found When
| the dealer discovered that he had sold this
| splendid work for trifle he brought action
, against Macpherson for its recovery. For
| ten years this suit was fought through
! various Italian courts, the dealer appealing
| all xl,@ lou vr,ti at bod o.
! prevent works of art from being sent out of
| Italy. Finally, however. Macpherson won;
| his painting was taken to London, and the
trustees Of the National Gallery purchased
| 1t for $4,000.
| *
| Another remarkable discovery was made
| in connection with the famous Raphael-a
| Holy Famly-which was offered to the
| London Art Gallery some time ago. The
| painting somehow other-through one of
| the vicisstudes following the Napoleonic
wars-found its way to London and was
bought by Morris Moore at public auction
for $3.50. Lord Elcho had no doubts that
the painting was a Raphael, but Its anthem
ITCHY was challenged for many years. BY
many it was attributed to Mantegna, and
for this reason the National Gallery refused
| to buy it. However, Mr.. Moore got his pic
ture certified by the Academy Of St Luc
in Rome, and 1t was finally sold to the
| Louvre for 10000.
! Undoubtedly there are in little out-of- the
way places in Enthusiastically In some
| of the country MANSIONS of old English fam
ilies-many specimens OF the works Of ia
nous masters. They occasionally find theil
way to London auction rooms in the same
| manner in which the Guido reached its des.
tination. Even within the last year several
of these discoveries have been made. For
instance, last summer at Colwyn Bay, in
Wholesome Of the most remote Of hamlets-
q picture was found in the house of an
elderly lady. 1t had been purchased at auc.
ton for trine half century earlier. Re-
Gently visitor examined the painting
closely and. 1t turned out to be genuine
Rubens, the subject being THE Meeting Of
Esau and Jacob" 1t was signed by Ruben,
and dated 1925. 1t is yet unsold, but will b.
put up at Christie's before very long ant
some say 1t will bring at least So. 900.
Two years ago q Bristol workingman
while cleaning out an old lumber room
| found a number Of paintings. They wer,
given him for his trouble. He sold them t
| q small dealer. who disposed Of them, to
, gether with other rubbish" at a small
Bristol salesroom. One of these pictures
purchased by a man who knew something
3 of paintings. has turned out to be a genuine
9 Reynolds and is worth not less than g. 00
And SO the romance of the auction room
spins out its fascinating chapters. The stor,
o OF the finds" Of old masters and other ar
( and literary treasures in these out-of-the
3 way places would make an interesting vol
l. ume II any one took the trouble to. write II
Q At any rate. American visitors to Londo
e would not be wasting their time IL the
o took In" along with the other shows
n some of the little auction rooms in the nook
= 'A0 e " ' ". B. NoRrHoP.