New-York tribune., 1909-11-21
TIE W.AI BUST.
FRrtkcr Notes on DR.. BOde's PW-
chase for Berlin.

il MAS executed bv Leonardo III. Vinci per I
feet storm II argument has been directed Thc }
English pres teens with letters and articles |
supporting tEe hypothesis that the bust was
actually produced ly tn" Victorian sculptor. !
Richard Cookie Lucas out cf the writer Of |
talk there emerge certain points which IL is |
surely absurd for the German critic to attempt |
10 answer 10y nothing moIc than ordy wave |
al the hand
Three week ago we reproduced two views of |
thls bust We make no apology for reproducing |
an" of them again for the SAKE of the interest |
ING comparison tn De ma,l- between il and the !
picture. ALREADY mentioned in this place. which |
IlaNs 50 important : part in the present acri /
Inonious ieiate. This picture is the "FIor.t" /
from which u is said I.ucas modelled ;he wax !
bust II WAS brought 10 him by the art dealer I
William BdgiIaran, To De- reproduced in the \
round M " Roberts. the well-k known Iiblios- |
l"Ih'I ana authority auction sales. has !
''IHtcd ont that hen Buchanans stock Of pict- |
u''A N'iS SOLD 80 Christies on July T. 1876 one |
piece disposed of was cs,iaIogued as follows: |
IL" b'autlfu' portrait of Nine. Joccn,L wife |
a SIgnoF irLrccsco Jooond of Florence known |
- this country unuer The title of Liouardo.s |
'flora. This picture was for many wears m |
the select collection Of Sr r Barring. Bart. |
where it yds always greatly admired. il cos, |
th"t gentleman very large sum Of money
~ buchanan sale .nothor dealer, nance Nor |
ton. bought Tho Flora for co guineas Mr.
lt"rGert Cook. IN letter - the London Time"
states that lter The painting was purchased |
~ Mr. James Morrison. in whose collection DR. !
N"asen found it, writing in 49, a description
q IA" "ok II is skill in the possession Of the
Morrison family in their house 1t Basildou Park
near Pansboufne. Mr.. Cook adds. by the WAY
that English counoisse Urship does not desery,
Ihe structure passrd upon il for allowing the
h"St 10 leave the country. Before it was sold
1" Berlin h' says, "Some Of us, including my
a'h. SAW III bust-anG 1id nothing
\ useful t. rainder To all those engaged in tho
discussion was offered the other day ~ MI
Edward McCTrdy. The author Of a briei biog-
raIhy a. Leonardo ana the editor If a colIec-
lion "f has literary fragment Tie points out
THAI III" scs'ntiic conHoiSscursEp Of which Dr. |
Sod" iS ON" of the greatest living opponents
based on jho assumption that perfect iden-
81! Il chaiao ;erstCS indicates identity o. origin
md hat therefor i; rests, inevitably, upon tho
l'mpaiatiyc method. Now. wiki What are W:
. compare the waN bus; whore Leonardo is
:"noernodc No absolutely authentic work Of
his III sculpture survives. Hence. if We are to
l"ok for LeoI.ardos traits in the bust. only
touchstones ~ ConpaTso must be drawn from
his painting and drawings and this is obvious
lN an Insecure method to edop5 II is true that
Dr Bode has sought prove that more than
signed 10 Leonard, but hc has not ye; placed
ANY one pf these eases If his beyond dispute
Moreover, the London Times" remarks his
very ardor the ..ttribution to Leonardo Of
certain sculptures about whose origin Ne have
really conclusive evidence is one reason the
more Why should be suspicious 81 i,s plea
Ill this instance.
Th' amazing thing il. too. that nothing " which
lo las thus i.,T cond, seconded to SAY Ola the sub
jet has been ~ al! convincing H. has ey-
pressed the Lelief HAT hi bust must az some
time have been intrustcd to Lucas for pur-
poses of renovation. ANA that fearing - COM
monce imm, diat,ly Ia. original. hC modelled
81 copy !or 'Nl"rimcntal purposes this copy be-
inE reprodIc'G in .ho photographs published IN
the illustrated London News" in defence of tn
English igIn al Tie work All this - sheer
fIesS Worl, aid. besides. 4 JWc baSts ,Nist II
would be interesting tu learn = hat has hecon,
~ H." "Jhr: "n". Th" truth j. that the cxi~-
t"Ec' of another bust simply be made
to square With the facts "n record as regards
HE "Ire purchased ) Dr. I}ode. of courst. ;fI,
element uf humor mas entered this rather mel,in-
.h"ly business. II appears that Lucas used to
employ almost any thing that came to hand
when he needed Il for on, of his buSts
ANA his recalls that on one occasion an ola
N.tistcoat &C. th" scaPtorS WAS Sn.tchrd up for
The purpos, IL would tc Impossible. i'm the
Ia fu ~