New-York tribune., 1907-03-02
LONDON NOTES.
More old MGSterS-T'reGSure TrOUe
-COsSacks IN Westminster.

- i,,nortant names are missing. and the mas
tors Of the chief schools. the Tuscan. Cmbrian,
Venetian. Ferrarese. Bolognese and Milanese.
are vorthily represented. When so large be-
o,,ast as The John Samuel collection IS made by
she Cohen sisters there are serious risks that
epurious or inferior works will be added to what
e. alreadv 2 comprehensive exhibit OF high quail
a.. Twenty-seven pictures Of this collection
ore now hung on screens or side walls of the
central Octagon; and at least a dozen Of them
are excellent examples. 1 would not include
arron, these the two Botticellis-an angel poised
-, a globe and a portrait OF a woman with
5,,u metallic face: nor is the portrait assigned
"a paris Bordone worthy OF a place on the same
wall with his yellow haired Baignol lady in
crimson gown. or with his ''Daphnis and Chloe"
There is however, good portraiture in the new
collection. There IS a fine example of realism
IN the portrait OF man by Giambattista
Norc.d. less vital perhaps, than the incompara-
ble portrait Of tailor in the Venetian room,
bu+ admirable for facility OF execution. direct
ness Of treatment with few pigments and values
of tone. The Lorenzo Costa Is an even more
,,-orrant ACQUISITION. for there is only one work
by the master of Francia in the gallery-a Ma
donna and child enthroned with angels The
new picture is a portrait of Rattista F1era
n Mantua, painted with such uncompronising
shown. and with no awkwardness in costuming
and no lack Of force. There is q subtle study
of psychology in the quaint portrait by Anto-
,7allo da Messina which may be q Xiyazini and
IN spiie Of obvious evidences Of drastic restora-
tion there IS fine craftsmanship in the Bronzino
a portrait of a woman.
There are two beautiful Guards superior 10
fhe three already in the gallery and equal TO
those in the Wallace collection. These are Santa
Maria della Salute and the Doge's Palace. paint
ed as rapidly as though he had dashed them off
as sketches. but rich in color and perfectly bal
anced in composition. There is Salvatore
Rosa, "Hagar in the Desert with n character
istic sense Of solitude. wildness and primitive
desoation. There are two works by Tiepolo,
the Marriage Of Marie de Medicis' and Esther
At the Throne Of Ahasuerus." each with dra
matte movement and true sense Of color. These
are excellent additions, for this master has been
previously represented in the gallery only by
Deposition from the Cross purchased from
the Cavendish- -Bentinck collection. There IS
I.uini, Christ Teaching" similar 10 the one
already in the gallery, and there are several
works by ]. Z. Moretto, st. Joseph, st. Jerome
and angels, with the silvery tone associated with
this master. 1 have rounded out the dozen good
works without including the ZuccareIli land
scapes. the PollajuOla and Romanino portraits,
or the large Bonifazio Keronese portraying the
mother and wife Of Coriolanus in the camp Of
the Nolsci. The new art treasures are displayed
in the Octagonal hail where there IS a war OF
conflicting lights. The director either wants 10
discourage art beQuests 20 the nation or 10
shame Parliament into making a. liberal grant
for the enlargement Of the overcrowded National
Gallery.
The inference drawn from the amazing robbery
80
this is extra-hazardous class Of property is
readily refuted. 1t is more than thirty years
since the Duchess Of Devonshire was cut from
her frame at Agnew's. and there has been no
repetition Of the exploit until the knife was used
in the Norfolk street house against Gainsbor-
oughs Nancy Parsons and Sir Joshua's Mrs
forke. The duchess was unmarketable and Il
was twenty years before negotiations were
opened for the return Of the stolen property.
She was finally exhibited at The same gallery
without special precautions for her protection
and she now hangs over the fireplace in the old
library OF Mr.. Morgan's London house without
guardians more vigant than the housekeeDer
and the butler and other trusted family servants.
The pictures stolen from Mr. WertheinDer's house
are equally unstable, since experts and con-
nolsseurs alone can determine their value and
they cannot be consulted by agents Of the
thieves. The gold and enamelled snuffboxes and
Jewelled miniatures which were carried of
with the precious canvases are valuable only
10 art dealers and millionaire collectors Mr.
Mertheimer is said TO have paid 10000 for the
Ceiini cup, which was not stolen with the snuff
boxes, but il would have been worthless 10 the
thief except the basis for highly dangerous
negotiations for ransom. II the stolen art treas
ules are not found by the London detectives.
Ar Wertheimer Is fairly certain to regain them
IN Tine for they must be returned to him before
they can be appraised at anything Ike their real
NaIue II is the necessity for ransom by the own
ers that makes famous works Of art the safest
property in the kingdom ] know OF art collec
lions in London which are more valuable than
Nj Wertheimer's. and there is not a burglar
alarm on door or window fastening. there is
neither day nor night watchman on guard. and
cases hlled with snufboXes and costliest treasure
Gove are not even locked. Precautions are
readily neglected when the collectors know
that The most expert thieves cannot dispose OF
stolen goods Of this class. know of one collec-
ton Of almost inestimable value which is not
insured against either burglars or fire Its
owner could hardly feel easier II his treasures
Were laid in heaveni
II is not difficult for the halfnennv nress n
supply comic accounts Of the battle line of the
sufragettes in full charge upon the police at
Westminster. They are described as brandishinR
parasols ana umbrellas in the faces Of bury
eonstables. as dropping NUTS gloves. purses and
fans when hustled by the boobies in Palace
Yard. singing John Browns Body like
dancing dervishes when their hats were smashed
and their hair was coming down, and as consol-
ing themselves with chocolates and smelling
salts when rescued from the horses feet ana
driven back 10 the Abbey towers The dullest
reporter becomes a spirited humorist when he
recounts the two rollclIing marches from Cax-
ton Hall 10 81. Stephens. the battlefield strewn
with hatpins and hairpins and the retirement