The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-03
ART SUFFERS Loss.
Earthquake Wipes Out Many
Treasures In MeSsina.
URBINO MAJOLICAS UNIQUE
Some Celebrated Pictures and ScuID-
lures Must Have PeriEhed-Hit the
sina wiped Out-The Fountain OF
Neptune May Have Fallen.

IN the overwhelming Of Messlns by The
earthquake a great number Of interesting
art treasures must have persisted
The city was once rich. and statues and
paintings were accumulated IN great
numbers. many OF which still remained
in the museum which was maintained il
the old monastery OF San GregOriO in the
Pinacoteca. which adjoined II, and in TIE
numerous churches
In the PinacOteca was the celebrated
Madonna del Rosario, painted in 14sS
which was the masterpiece OF Antonella
ia Messina, the best Of the Sicilian paint
ers.
This Is an undisputed example OF Anto-
nelia's work IN the museum was also q
superb and extremely interesting paint
ing by D. Maroli. representing the ascent
10 heaven OF San Pietro d'Alcantara.
The Greatest Loss.
But perhaps the treasure Of the mu-
scum which viii be most grievously
missed-and from its nature It could
hardly have escaped desuucuon-is the
absolutely unique collection Of Urbiao
msjOlics.
The pieces IN this collection were made
IN 1865 for the civic hospital IL Messina.
and are seventy-four IN number. They
are mostly drug jars OF an extremely
picturesque sort Their IUSter. their
blues. yellows. and greens are superb, 20
says Douglas Sladen in his Things Sell
ian and some Of them, like the horse
and nymph riding on a dolphin, are Won
derfully spirited pictures
The museum also contained some an
Cques OF character not found else
WHERE.
The churches OF ALassiua contained
many fine old pictures In the ChLesa
della CaJUolica was the Madonna del
GraheO. or Madonna Of The Letter, a IA
nous relic which was regarded with great
ven5TauOn- The Virgin IS believed 10
have written letter 70 the Inhabitants
OF Messina- and a church containing an
ancient picture OF tn madonna and child.
with an inscription IN Greek. c0mnemO-
rates the event
4 WORK Of Art.
Under the baId-chin Of the Cathedral
Of Nessira was an ancient picture OF the
same Madonna OF the Letter. which was
attributed by the inhabitants 70 ST. Luke
Here. also. was preserved q copy Of the
letter. which IS supposed TO be the iden-
teal copy given by the Virgin with her
own hands 70 the Inhabitants Of Nesslna.
The cathedral was itself a work Of art.
It was begun in the year go but was not
dedicated until 1lS7. The cauuaniIe was
thrown down By the earthquake Of 17S3-
The facade Of this cathedral had three
Gothic portals. the central one OF which
was very rich decorated with slender col
Cmus, graceful arabeSQCeS- has reliefs.
and statuettes.
The nave had rwerty-six Granite capi-
tails from the Temple of Neptune al the
Faro Let rs hope that these columns al
least may be intact. The high altar was
q mass Of frecicaS stones-asates, Iapis
lazui chalcedony, jasper. &c.-being one
Of the earliest and richest specimens OF
FlOTentiGs inlaying
IN the north aisle Ct the cathedral was
z celebrated carving by Gagini Of the
Cristo Risorto. and beside Il was a col
OTed bas-TeIief OF 81 Jerome Or marble
The sacristy possessed q beautiful Gothic
door. There was also q cibCrio Of Santa
Maria, with exquisite carvings Of angels
There are several other works OF ArtO-
NELL Ga GaginL who was enc Of the most
celebrated scuiptCrs OF the fifteenth cen
fury In the Church OF San Asostini was
his Madonna DEL Popoio. a famous and
beautiful statue OF the Virgin and child.
The Virgins face IN the statue wears an
expression Of quite Asiatic mystery and
belignity- In the cathedral was Gagini's
s.. John. which seemed more modern and
European
IN the church Of Santa Maria della
Scala was one Of the most famous Of
Messina's pOssesions-au exquisite Viz
gin by LUca della R0bhia- In the church
OF IS. AnnunziaJa were frescoes by PsIa-
dino. Supra. FIiDpo, Tancredi. and Clio
vanni Fulc0.
An Object of Art.
The church Of San Grego-io was in it.
self a remarkable ART object Il stands
OF the site Of the ancient temple Of Jupi-
ter Il IS baroqUe in style with a singu-
lar spiral tower. which is one Of the land
marks Of Messina- II possesses good pic
lures by Guercino. BarbaIunga. and 9th
ers, and thirteenth century mosaic Of
the Virgin, known as the Madonna della
CianbreJta.
Two beautiful public works o. arr IN
and majestic fountain OF Neptune which
stood near the sea face OF the CITY hall.
Il was by MontorsoH and was unveiled in
155L The noble statue Of Neptune which
crowned the fountain was only 2 COPY. as
the original. for fear Of its destruction bv
earthquakes. was kept n tas Church Of
Santa Maria degli Aienanni CSt Mary o.
the Germans There Is no more be9r+i-
ful or striking fountain II Europe than
this.
Beside the cathedral, n the Piazza del
Duomo, stood another beautiful Work OF
MontorsolFs. the fountain Of Orion. = re-
Nuisance work Of great loneliness.
The lesser art objects Of 4Iesslua were
quite too numerous to recapitulata. The
world viii await with interest the story
Of their fate, and VIII earnestly hope that
some OF them have escaped injury. JuGE-
ing from the latest accounts. there IS IT.
tie hope for the fountain Of Neptune. as
the Iunicipic. II front of which Il stood.