The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-05
MODERN SCULPTURE EXHIBIT.
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM FORM
ING A COLLECTION.

Br0uzes by Americans ON View ana EURO"
pean Specimens Acquired New set
sf japanese Orders -~Eurniturc Dis.
play Begun New Pictures and CurlOs.
The Metropolitan Museum OF Art issued
yesterday It's monthly bulletin for Septem-
Der. Tho SccessiOns for the last month
were a landscape by John LaFarge, the
gift Of George A. Hearn: eight mall
bronzes by American sculptons, purchased
with the Rogers Funi; one faunoe plate
Of Alcora, the gift OF Jacques Seligmann;
one stained glass Gothic easement. pur-
chased with the Rogers Fund; 1--WE pottery
whistles from Costa Rica, the gift OF DR..
J. NJ. Keith; a book OF musical notation
Of the eleventh century from Europe. the
gift OF q. A. Plimpton: three musical
Instruments, the gift o. Mrs. John Crosby
Brown, and a collecti q Of Japanese decora-
tons and medals, the gift Of Messrs. f ward
d. Adams and Jacob H. Schiff.
This last consists Of a complete set
Of the imperial orders OF Japan, the manu-
facture Of which was authorized by tbs jap
anese Government upon the application
Of Mr.. schif and at the suggestion Of Mr..
Adams. for the express purpose Of this
gift. A number of these are in gold and
silver and are jewellsi. They are accom-
ranied by their corresponding sashes,
rib ons and buttons, ami ap ropriately
mounted on silk in laoquered cases
Sir urdon Clarke. the director Of the
museum, said that though the orders
were very interesting and striking they
would have been more 20 IL the Japanese
had In this instance obeyed their own genius
instead Of initiating so obviously European
decorations. y
The eight small bronzes by American
sculptors were acquired as an addition
to the twenty recently secured as the re-
suit of a report TO the trustees by the CON-
mittee on sculpture, which reads az foil ws:
The collection Of bronzes In the museum
il mainly confined to the reproductions OF
the busts and statuettes found at Hercula-
neum. there being few important works in
bronze OF contemporary sculptors. Much
sculptuTeSin bronze has been produced In
this country, Of historic interest as well as
Of artistic value, and in our judgment this
fact might well be recognized within reason
able limits. The expenditure Of 9 sum Of
money equal To the cost of one original work
Of antiquity or of one moderately important
picture would create a whole collection Of
small bronzes, which would be OF popular
interest and would tend to stimulate this
important department Of art. IL Is sug-
gested, therefore. that the collection OF modern
works OF sculpture be extended In this direC-
ton and that a collection OF bronZes be
made which shall illustrate the modern de-
velopment of this art. especially In the United
States.
The new bronzes consist Of seven animal
pieces by Frederick G. Roth, and a atatuette
OF John Ruskin by Gutzon Borglum. The
Bulletin says:
VUEAgt. III II l... 49,. e. ..-.G-.l
are by American sculptors. IL Is not the inten-
ton to conine the collection to native work.
but ultimately 10 secure notable Xampl
by foreign sculptors as well.
Sir Purdon Clarke said that a number OF
English bronzes had already been pur-
chased and were on their way here. Among
these are: Eve" 10y Thomas Brock, r. A.;
The S~luGgard' and Needless Alarms" by
Lord Leighton. p. X. A.; Tragedy and
Comedy" and -Perseus- by Alfred Gilbert,
r. A.; Spring" and Innocence" by Alfred
Dewey, A. r. A.; and "Pean" by E.. Onslow
Ford. X. A.
Gallery 4 on the ground floor has Just
been opened to the public with a collection
Of carved wood and furniture which has
been obtained recently by purchase and
by gifts from j. Pierpont Morgan. The
specimens range from fifteenth century
Gothic through the Renaissance to the
period OF Louis XVI. in France.
This ROOM" Sir Purdon said, SIS a new
departure in answer to the protest which
is being heard now against the closing OF
art museum doors to objects OF industrial
art: and is a small beginning of a collection
which I hope will some day rival the famous
Cluny collection in Paris. / recognize the
difficulty Of drawing the line between the
specimens Of furniture, medals, jewelry
and pottery which belong in a hne arts
arts and crafts exhibit, but I think Il should
be undertaken"