The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-01
AMERICAS MOST REMARKABLE WOMAN

whole public examples of the greatest
art OF the ages, attractively set forth,
then a bleak and barren district on the
outskirts Of Boston her famous Italian
palace. This is legally denominated
the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum
IN the Fenway, Limited 1t is more
generally known as the paraphrase in
Mrs. Keavs' book indicates, by the
name of Fenway court. In this struc-
ture, plain but picturesque in outward
appearance, are the treasures gathered
during lifetime of discriminating col
lecting. The perfect adaptation OF all
the pictures and sculptures and other
objects OF art TO their surroundings
the ordinary museum. The eompart-
ments are given such names as tho
Titan room, the Veronese room. the
Dutch room, the Chinese room. and so
on, each on account Of the general char
acter of its contents. Among the treas
the Chigi Madonna, which disappeared
from Italy and q few years ago turned
up in the Fenway collection; bronze
bust OF BenveDuto Cellini, of which
Michael Angelo once wrote in q per
sonal letter: ~ have for years known
the world, and ] now find that you have
equal abilities as a sculptor" Titan IS
great masterpiece, ''The Rape of Eu-
ropa," painted for Philip II of Suain
as part Of the dover of his daughter,
who was TO have been married TO
Charles | OF England; little Pieta by
Raphael, which was once N the posses
sion OF Queen Christina OF Sweden;
Botticelli . "Death OF Lucretia, - from
Lord s a 'Ashburnham 3 collection, and
many others.
The expectation was that as Fenway
court is open 20 the public az stated
intervals, and is thus virtually one CT
the art museums of the country, works
OF art could be imported without pay
ing the duties which are assessed upop
wealthy private collectors. In this way
Mrs. Gardner's 8 comparatively limited
funds-for she is not enormously rich
as fortunes are now neasured-woulo.
90 much further, 20 the permanent ad~
vantage of all classes of Americans.
But the courts ruled otherwise. and the
owner OF the palace IN the Fenway il
1903 paid the government somewhat
over 100000 IL contested duties on
importations. She might then have de-
clded 70 close her palace 20 the public
altogether, but, despite Uncle Sam s at
titude, she has continued to open il on
certain days, the proceeds from the ad-
mission fees going 20 some of the chan
ties in which she is interested 4 recent
case in which friend of Mrs Gard
per' IN Chicago imported treasures des-
tined for Fenway court or a basis al
legged to be one of underveluation Is
generally familiar.
Mrs. Gardner is generally supposed to
be hostile to the newspapers. She pre-
fers. it is said. to read Walter Pater
or Epictetus in books printed on hand
made paper and bound by Golden San
derson. It has been reported, however,
and not denied, that she has maintained
a private press clipping bureau. the en-
| tire time of one man being devoted 10
reading newspapers for articles which
mention her or which in any way are
connected with the subjects in which
she is interested.
Whatever her attitude toward tho
papers. she cannot be induced TO give
out interviews. One of the few occa-
sions in which she talked for pub!ica-
tion was when two young newspaper
way court. They realized that there
was no use in trying to induce "Mrs.
jack to answer questions. According
", az 2 ruse, both stood in front OF one
of her treasures and started dispute
as to its authorship. Louder and louder
grew their tones as they argued pro and
con. Presently Mrs. Gardner, vino was
quietly passing through the room. over
heard, and. interrupting the young men,
whom she did not suspect OF being re-
porters, explained that both wero
wrong She then proceeded TO givo
them detailed information not only
about the work in question, but about
many other features of her collection
all OF which information appeared in
the form Of interviews IN the morning
papers.
Considering the prominence Mrs.
Gardner has enjoyed, not only in the
city Of Boston, but throughout the
United States, it is rather remarkable
that she has not figured in contempor-
ary fiction more extensively than has
been the case. Even in Mrs. Keays'
book she is simply introduced as a
minor character. the main action hing
ing upon the relations OF daughter to
her mother, who was divorced from her
father, and who offered to take back
the child any time her services were
really needed
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