The Washington herald., 1909-02-28

day not long after the civil war. in an
old shsp whose proprietor dealt II paint
ings and antiques OF various sorts-a sec
ond-hand place The dealer had no idea
OF its value nor who the artist was. and
had set Il away II a corner
"In fact, this picture was not prepos-
sessing. II IS small, had only 8 dingy,
broken old frame and the painting It.
self was so dirty and begrimed that the
figures could hardly be diseerned- The
general. however, saw 81 once that Il was
good and bought it.
After il had been cleaned and reno
waited with great care the owner. exam
ming Il. was astonished 20 ind that Il
was signed by Raphael. OF at least with
the initials that Raphael used in signing
his work The general saw also that the
painting was strikingly ike RaphaePs-
the grouping Of the figures, the long
tapering fingers all showed the we'll
known characteristics Of the famous dec
orator OF the Vatican.
Il know nothing whatever Of art. but
even can recognize the resemblance be-
tween this Alteration OF the Shepherds
and such Of Raphaefs paintings as
have seen IN the Louvre and elsewhere
Moreover. It fmpressss me as superior 20
a number Of Raphsel's paintings that /
have seen.
Owned by sDaniaTds.
Naturally, Gen. Leventhorpe get very
busy trying 10 find where this gem Of
his had CONS from. He discovered. he
once told me, that the picture had be-
longed 70 an old and wealthy family that
had left Spain. / think. on account OF
politics. he said. in the sixteenth or sew
enteenth century.
''If remember correctly, he said they
went first 20 Mexico and later 70 New
Orleans. The family had dwlndled. the
last OF the men had been killed in the
war. and finally. at the death OF one Of
the women, the old mansion gnd every
thing In Il had been sold at auction.
The Alteration Of the Shepherds was
supposed to have been brought from
Spain and had been highly priced BY the
family. but the general could find Moth
ing beyond that
He took the painting 70 New York and
for several years exhibited II. as has been
said, in the Metropolitan Museum. Gen.
di Cesno!a having been a personal friend.
Many art experts were consulted, and
they disagreed.
Those who disbelieved admitted the
paintings similarity to Raphaefs work.
admitted its value as a work OF art. but
declared Il past belief that a real Ra-
phael could have found its way 70 Amer
lea without some record OF that fact be
ing IN existence. and that nowhere in all
that had been written Of Raphaei's crea-
tons was to be found any reference TO
such a painting as the Alteration OF the
Shepherds
Critics Believe IL Genuine.
While admitting these things. some
critics stfn believed Il genuine, contend
ing that any man who could paint such a
picture was too great an artist 70 have
counterfelted RaphaePs signature They
urged also that any artist who would
have perpetrased a fraud BY signing e
painting with another's name would have
made the signature prominent instead
of making Il extremely small, and almost
hiding It down IN one corner.
They pointed out also how remarkable
the coloring was after all TIE centuries
and the paintings many yicissitudes.
other critics believed II probably the
work Of one OF RaphaeTs able students
The discussion. OF course. came 10 moth
ing.
Gen. Leventhorpe. however. always
believed that he possessed the greatest
painting. the most priceless gem OF art
ever brought 70 America, and that the
only reason this was rot universally ad-
mitted was because he COULD not posi-
tivey prove its genuineness- As for him
self. he never had doubt Of T.
Gen. Leven4horpe spent TIE last years
OF his Hfe at Holly Lodge, his beautiful
home on the Yadkin River. in a little
mouutain-enriched valley. known since
long before the war as Happy Valley. IN
Caldwell County
after his death his widow lived with
her sister. Mrs. William Davenport Jones.
only mile away. and there the LeVen-
thorpe collection Is still kept intact. al
though the ownership OF the pictures IS
divided among a number Of Mrs. Daven-
ports nephews ard nieces."