Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-28
Dope Learns french.
Has Taken Up Study Since Present Troubles Arose.
Interesting Church Gossip From Rome

correspondent to visit the Corsini Palace 10
see this removed work Of art prior to its
transference TO the city OF Ascoli
The cope is ncosed In "A very wide glass
case which Is covered with silk curtains.
Nile green in color. 10 save II from tho
bright rays of the sun. It, when spread
out. resembles a sem-circle. The outer
surface is covered with three horizontal
rows OF mCdalions, the upper row having
seven of these medallions. the next five and
the third and the lowest three. On the edge
there are half medalions The central me-
dalton is filled with n head OF Christ very
carefully and effectively wrought repre-
senting the Savior severe and haggard ac-
cording to the mode OF art prevailing at the
period when the cope was made-that is to
say. in the latter half of the thirteenth CEN
fury.
The upper row of the medalllons exhibit
a series of pictures taken from the life OF
some bishop-perhaps St Emidus, the first
bishop of the See. In the first picture TO
the right he is represented as kneelng on
the ground. and his head is bowed down
by milestone hung to his neck. In another
he is represented as shot with arrows; and
in third as decapitated
Beneath the head of Christ. already re-
ferred to. there is a representation of the
Crucifxion-in the moment when Longi-
nus pierces the side of the Redeemer with
the lance. The old tradition which pre-
vailed so long in early German art and
which is comparatively rare in Italian art
that represents Longinus recovering his
sight from the drops of blood that were APP
piled to his eyes after the piercing of the
side of Christ is continued here. The rea-
son for this may be attributed to the date
of the cope which was given to the Cathe-
dral by Pope Nicholas ", who governed the
church from 1888 to 1892. He was named
Masci and was native of Ascoli.
1t is natural to suppose that the cope
dates from period within those four years.
Though its colors are now faded and the
borders of the medallions are denuded of the
jewels that were set into them, It Is still
very beautiful. For over six hundred years
1t has constituted the Joy and the choice
treasure of this cathedral. Apparently it
escaped even the hands of the French de-
spoilers at the time of the revolution who
carried away many of the finest of the
italian works of art. There is considerable
criticism because the italian government
has taken the cope over into its own possess
sion and some of the clerics do not hest
tate to say that the Italian government pos
sesses a frankness in thievery which sur
passes even the action of the revolutionary
hordes of France.
In all of this Of course can be heard MOTH
ing but words of praise for Mr.. Morgan,
who is out of pocket large sum-just how
much and the detailed circumstances of the
manner in which he was swindled in con-
nection with the purchase of the cope he
has never even cared to explain. He has
pocketed the loss without one word and
among the clergy well as among the
laity there has been heard nothing except
the most kindly words for the American.
1t is to be regretted that his generous ac-
ton should be the signal for an outbreak of
ill-feeling between the municipality and
the cathedral over. this matter but per-
hapS 1t was unavoidable.