New-York tribune., 1908-02-07
MUSEUM ACCESSIONS.
SAINT -Gaudens Exhibition to Open
on March Sd C0pley Portrait.

The February bulletin of the Metropolitan
| Museum Of Art announces that March there
will be opened to the public in the newly remod-
| elled Hall of Sculpture a memorial exhibition of
| the works of the late Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
The bulletin contains illustrative accounts of
| the specimens Of the prehistoric Grecian art that
have been added the archaeological collection OF
| the Museum, and also OF the accessions in
| the classical department.
| One of the principal accessons the Museum is
pastel portrait of Miss Mary Storer by John Sin
gleon Copiey, the being represented for the
first time In the permanent Museum collections
| The picture is of the earliest work of the artist
When he made constant of the medium of pas
| tel The portrait is signed and dated 17s5 when
| Copley was about twenty years Old The frame
| Of the Copley is one of the so-called Paul Re-
| we're frames, and is contemporaneous with the
| picture.
An acquisition by purchase is a small but vaIua-
bic gathering of early bronze arrnor. This coec-
ton consists IN all Of six pieces-five casuues and a
corseet- The most important of these is a richly
decorated casque with triangular crest dating not
later than the eleventh century which was exca-
Vated IN Capua- j. Pierpont Morgan has also made
another gift 10 the museum in the form of a terra
Gotta model of fountain by Giovanni da Bologna
The new objects that Sir Purdon Clarke called
especial attention yesterday We're the pre-IeIenc
casts and reproductions Of objects found during the
recent excavations in the island Of Crete some of
these dating from 5000 B. c This collection con-
stitutes the largest of its kind this country and
with the possible exception Of that Oxford in the
world The collection is not yet complete and il is
hoped TO make it more representative as rapdIv as
other tacSniles can be obtained. The Greeks
themselves had vague knowledge of the history of
the peoples who inhabited Greek lands before their
own arrival from the north during the second and
third millenia B. g Ii is therefore considered b,,
the museum of the chief triur1phs of modern
scientific archaeology that at the present dav so
exact "A picture has been obtained Of this early
civilization teaching of the social customs. religion
politics and art Of these prehistoric peoples
The work Of excavation in Crete was DELAYED
until 1900, when a stable government was estab-
iisled there, and in the eight years of this work
DR.. a. J. Evans and Professor Hafbherr have IN
edrthed two vast palaces at Knossos and Pbaastos
A number of smaller towns have also been brought
10 light by English. American and Italian excaya-
tors Most of the objects in the present exhibition
date from the height of Cretan power. One of the
most interesting finds of DR.. Evans at Knosses WAS
collection of objects in faionce, native porce-
laln' which We're discovered among the contents of
d temple treasury. chief among these are the
snake goddess and her votaries The poddess
wears a high tiara and dress consisting of A rich
" embroidered jacket with laced bodice and 4
skirt with a double apron. About her are coiled
three snakes. The coIors employed are white
purple, purplish brown, black and green
One Of the surprises Of the explorers in Crete was
the discovery of system of writing About six
thousand tablets, with script, We're found but all
efforts at decipherment have been unsuccessful
Another piece Of interest is the throne from the
throne room of knossos, of which the museum has
cast. In addition TO the reproductions the Metro
poian Museum has some original vases vase frag-
mentS and few bronzes which were found in the
American excavations Of Harriet Boyd Hawes at
Gouruia Crete. and presented the museum by
TIE American Exploration Society, of Philadelphia.
Among she bronzes IN the recent accessions 20
the collection Of reek and Roman art, the statu-
of the discus tkrower occupies first place
The special committee tie ST Gaudens ex-
hibition has fixed March for the public opening
A reception members of the museum and
friends viii be held on the evening of March =
The collection VIII he arranged the Fifth
entrance. The exhibition VIII extend over period
of weeks
The total attendance at the for 1907
reached the highest figure OF any year in its his
tory with the exception of 1903. when the Fifth
avenue wing was opened To the public. The figures
are S00763 for 1907 and S02 900 for 1903.