The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-29

exAmples. one representing four scenes
from the Passion. the other the death
and coronation Of the Virgin. In the
first the arrangement begins at the bottom
on the left with the hAgsllation. which
h followed by Christ bearing the cross:
the third group represents the crucihxion
and the entombment. the scenes ter
minafing at the lower right side. q char
Acteristic arrangement. The composition
and the different motives ara not inven-
tions % the artist. hut are drawn accord
ing To tradition and repeated with varia-
tons. In the hagallation. for instance,
the figure OF Christ 10 always chained
TO O small central column. the feet lightly
poised on the ground. and in the cruel
hxion the figure % Christ Il always turned
To the left. while above the cross are
seen the sun and moon. sometimes sym
bolized by two angels. In the entomb-
ment Christ Il invariably held above
the tomb by two men while Joseph Of
ArimSthea dresses the wound The
same may be said Of the death 81 the
Virgin, in which Christ always stands
behind the bed. holding in his arms the
soul Of the Virgin. symbolized by a small
nude child. To rs the grace OF the figures
scenes from the life of the Virgin than
to those depicting the Passion. In execu-
ton the diptych With the Virgin IL per-
hapS the more refined OF the two. and
in its deeply cut relief IL expresses the
plastic feeling better than the other.
Compared with the work just mentioned
a silver gilt relief OF an Apostle shows the
steadier and stronger style % the early
Gothic period Of about 1900. Very likely
this piece. which may have belonged TO a
large crucihx. was made in Italy. II not
in Germany. The last OF this group OF
recent purchases is . typical example OF
the small decorative arts OF Spain. q
miniature diptyoh. carved in wood. Mus
trating scenes from the Passion and placed
on a brilliant background Of delicate
feathers in brilliant blue The enamel
on the outside does not show the finest
work, vet IL is very effective. the bright
colors being especially characteristic Of
the rich color effects found in Spanish
arr 81 this period.
Furniture Of the Romanesaue period
il no longer in existence. but some idea
Of its appeaTnacs may he derived from
pieces made in Swift zerland and the Tyrol,
where the oldest Teuonio forms were
preserved a. late a. the Gothic and Renais-
sanoe periods. An interesting example
Of this kind recently acquired is an arm
chair with a movable seat and a reclining
hack. which would seem to prove that IL |
was used for operating purposes. The
back and sides are deliberately carved |
with coiled serpents having dragon heads. |
in the style Of the Celtic or Scandinavian !
art; the motives on the back are more |
OF the Renaissance. a double |
eagle surrounded by circle supported !
by two lions rampant tsimilar designs 1
are found in the enbroideries and hlet \
work Of the Tyrol OF the siHteenth and /
seventeenth centuriesD; the floral sprays |
between them were originally derived
from Romans~qus arrangements, hut in
heir naturalistic form recall the later
This chair. with its tones of
polished brown. probably dates from the
ate siNteenth or early seventeenth cen
Jury. - the inference % Mr.. Val-ptIner.