New-York tribune., 1906-04-22
At THE MUSEUM.
A Surrey of Conditions Under the
Ne1C Regime.

WISH TO the metropolitan Museum of Art at this
ine Is especially interesting for II dscloses many
'eHs OF the energy with which the administra-
uon has been getting itself established Six months
nave passed since Sir caspar Purdon Clarke came
Ser 70 assume the duties Of the dictatorship. and
ne and his assistants have already. In that short
uhe' done much 10 improve the appearance OF the
eaIerles They have infinitely more to do. for the
cohections are in several instances sorely in need
oi iearransenent, and. moreover. the. new acquis-
uons alone require abundant attention. The max
ing OF new catalogues must accompany the over
hauling OF the Museums possessions and in view
Vi the colpexity Of this task II is not surprising
lilat the officials first glance have done
no more than scratch the surface of the soil
"hch tney are TO erect their perfected fabric. But
as we have said, close scrutiny shows that they
nave done enough in a scant half year to leave
most interesting impression and to invite warm
congratulations.
The first question confronting the critic is that
which relates TO the broad drift of the policy
adopted by the director. From his record as
head Of the South Kensington Museum It was to
De expected evsz II he had made public state
ments on the subject, that he would bring the in
oustrlal and applied arts into the foreground ano
he has begun to do this In a way which promises
well for the convenience and instruction of our
artisans With recent gifts and loans. the collec-
ton OF utensils and other objects in silver gold
mas been extended, and IL is in course Of arrange
ment after fashion which Will make 1t more prao-
hcally useful In the gallery where locks, keys
and similar productions IN metal displayed
there will presently be placed number OF grtlles,
OF French and German origin One Of the larger
halls on the ground floor has just been set aside
for the exhibition of 6 quantity OF fine examples
Of carved furniture and decorative panels Of the
historic periods. This of material in part
given by Mr.. Morgan and in greater part purchased
out of the Rogers Fund is particularly welcome.
Even in its present state. roughly disposed about
the room and uncatalogued, il reveals itself as a
body of generally excellent pieces. supplying just
the kind Of inspiration that the craftsman needs
The presence of few quite hurndrum bits OF furni-
ture does not lessen the value of the collection
whole, and OF course. additions will from time to
time be made. The extent TO which this practical
side Of the Museum is to be exploited remains to
he seen Considerations of space must enter into
the matter, at least until the wing is erected.
In the mean time it must be clearly recognized
that the director Is moving along the right lines.
We peculiarly situated in New York. Rich
the city is, full as II is Of quick TO render
public service, It probable that for gener-
alton two, at least shall continue 10 satisfy
ourselves with one comprehensive art museum.
Neither fuller development OF Cooper Union nor
an increase in the number OF private galleries Ike
Mr.. Morgan's like the one which Mr.. Yerkes
formed with view to the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the
city promises TO threaten the prestige of the Met
ropolitan. That will remain for many years. If
not indefinitely, the place in which students will
expect to find all of the kinds OF artistic works
which. in Paris. for example. have each
less their separate museums. The point is i'm
portant remember in the administration Of
institution The public, after ALL has the
most at stake. and would not the placing
OF undue emphasis upon the exercise OF any one OF
the Museums functions. What it expects and
what apparently, is being worked out, is a well
balanced scheme involving the sacrifice of no single
department TO another This comes with ad-
mirabe effectiveness where the department of an
tiquities is concerned The Cansssa collection of
Greek and Roman vases. the formation of which
suggested by the late General di Cesnola, is
one of European
scum might envy. It contains superb specimens of
ancient vase painting, it illustrates the forms of
early potter's art in rich variety, and. we may
add. the merest glance the contents of the
serves 10 show with what scholarship and taste the
assistant director has arranged the under
his care. He has been aided, IL should be noted,
by Miss G. NJ. a. Richter. We look forward with
the liveest interest the publication Of the cat
aIogue of this collection, for know from Mr..
Robiusoas work in Boston that he has special
faculty for making such pages not only instructive
but readable
Other antiquities have been acquired through
gift through purchase, and indeed the acces-
sions in d dozen different departments have been
too numerous for to examine them IN detail
here The remaining salient subject is found in
the department Of painting the curator Of which,
Mr. Roger E Fry, has had exceptional oppor-
tunities. With the Rogers Fund 10 draw upon and
with pictures Of sort or another pretty fire.
quenty IN the market. ne has been able TO make
q surprising number Of purchases. Many Of these.
too. have been most Judiciously made. The prob
lem involved is OF course. OF great difficulty.
In the purchase of old pictures museums choice
is to-day necessarily restricted the hand
and left than free the other. For
nowned masterpiece like the Rokeby Venus that
comes into the field there a hundred minor old
eanvases available, and too often the prize
is seized by private buyer. Thus the Titan
"Aretino," which is now exhibition at the Mu-
scum, is there not as the property Of the insti-
tuition. a loan from the owner. Mr.. H. c.
FNrick When the Rogers Fund first available
chases Of old pictures TO works of what may be
roughly described museum character This
policy brought us a group Of eighteenth century
French portraits of high merit and example of
FL Greco, which, If less impressive than the work
by the painter which passed at about that
time into the Louvre is nevertheless characteristic
and worth having Under the new regime pur-
chases have been numerous and the
whole less ambitious. with results of varying sue
In the Italian school the panels by Crivelli.
Saint George" and Saint Dominic" from the
Ashburton sale are to be received with unqualified
cordiality. The first of them is particularly charm
ing. and both give a glimpse into early Venetian
painting for which the student unacquainted with
/ European collections cannot be too grateful He
has not been so well served however by the pur-
chase of the Holy Family of Bugiardini which is
only moderate specimen of a moderately interest
ing Florentine and we are even less impressed by
the Lotto Portrait which is far too cold and
nerveless 10 do justice TO that memorable
The OF the Italian pictures exhibited are about
on the same pedestrian level, though we must
that the recovery of divers early pieces from the
old stores of the Museum has helped to bring
representation of the school little pleasantly
10 the front than would expect considering
that our chances in this sphere have always been
so limited. The Bramantino heads. purchased not