The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-08
new THINGS AT The MUSEUM
FIVE FINE FRAGMENTS OF EARLY
ROMAN MARBLES.
Notable Examples or Early Italian Paint
ings-Msny Drawings, Including a Pen
sketch by Rembrandt -Four Excellent
Specimens OF French GargOyies Seen.

The interesting accessions made to the
various departments Of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in November were on view
yesterday at the museum. They include
Roman marbles, several early italian paint
ings, n large and unusually interesting col
lection of drawings. four grotesque gar
goyles and some laces.
The marbles are five architectural frag-
ments from the Forum of Trajan. built by
that Roman Emperor in A. D. 1l2-l4. They
are the gift Of j. Pierpont Morgan. The
marbles give a good idea Of the
used in Roman architecture, the combina-
ton Of many different mouldings in them
giving the rich effect characteristic Of the
taste Of imperial Rome. Two Of the pieces
are parts Of cornices. two belonged to friezes
and one is an ornamented block of archi-
trave, probably from a colonn AIDE.
A notable addition TO the collection OF
primitive paintings in the museum is a
small picture by Giovanni di Paolo repre-
sentlng blessed souls received by angels
in Paradise. The museum has In The
Two Saints in Gallery H.. another paint
ing by the same artist. but the work, exhibit
ing tho painters power 5 on n small scale.
in which they are estimated 70 be at their
'N1Nt II HlOAADNNNNNN ~ NA'NS ANoN @y
a most decided acquisition. 1t exhibits
the blessed souls in tho guise Of Fashionable
youths and msidens of the day s~trolling
about a Tuscan hillside. gayly strewn with
wild violets and lilies. with rabbits springing
and hiding among them. The picture was
shown in the exhibition OF IenRe art at
Siena in 1904 and was purchased from the
Rogers fund.
Next IN importance is placed a painting
by P~eseilno, al Italian of the time of Fra
Filppo Lippi and Masaccio and strongly
influenced 10y 10th those masters, until
now unrepresented IN the museum. The
painting is a Madonna and Child" en-
throned between st. John the Baptist and
st. John the Evangelist, and was presented
70 the museum bv G.. Brauer of Paris.
Another acquisition is a Madonna and
Child" attributed to Pisanello and pre-
scented by Baron Lazzaroni. The painting
is reckoned a charming example OF that
period in Italian art when the early Gothic
style was passing INFO the early Renaissance.
A large numle r of drawings, containing
several over which Curator Fry tecamc
enthusiastic in bis comments, has teer
added to the collection, of which Cornelius
Vanderbilt 5 gift n 1850 hasLeen he nucleus.
The one Of these over which Mr. Fry fingered
longest is a pen drawing by Rembrandt,
illustrating the scene from the Book OF
Tobit " where Sara IS exercised of the devil
Asmodcus through the prayer of her spouse,
Tobias, over the burning fish llvers. The
drawing is an example OF Rembrandt 3
supreme power Of achieving the maximum
Of artistic representation with the minimum
of means. Line in the drawing, lie sides
outlining the forms of the picture, becomes
symbolic OF atmosphere and color as we'll.
Another dra wing, almost a painting,
is shown in a sold piece OF coloring IN
goudche by Jacob Jorddens, in that artists
well known broad and summary manner.
The subject is conjectured to be The
Sacrifice at Lystra.'
Four excellent ~ ecimens of gargoyles OF
the Gothic Teriod in France are also shown.
These are representations of lions, a grirlu
and another monster unnameable in its
expression of grotesque ferocity, all figures
such as are seen on the tower OF the ca
thedral at Chartres and the later additi Jns
to the cathedral at Nevers. These, like
the purchased paintings and all the draw
ings, we're acquired by Mr.. Fry IN his
recent Journey Il Europe.
A notable collection Of lace has been
added 20 the collections already owned
by the Museum in the pieces OF
fine Italian, French and Belgian laces pre-
sented BY Mrs. Hamilton ". Cary. All
the new acquisitions are shown in the
large room in the northeast corner Of the
building on the right la nd Of the main
entrance.
The December number OF the Bulletin
notes in closing its first volume that since
the beginning Of its publication the mem
bership of the Museum has been increased
by s new fellows in err etuity, is new
fellows for life, 50 new fellowship members,
217 new sustaining members and 52s new
annual members. In the same period the
gifts 70 the Museum have never been larger.
Eighty nine gifts have been made TO its
collections and seyentV-six 20 its library.