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

the institution and tho new methods a
present employed are set forth will
clearneas You NAV now enjoy the won
dsr- OF he museum personally conducted
nv competent persons. Bryson Burroughs
the curator uf paintings, describes GER
tain rearra nEements Of the galleries. Ths
late Italian pictures belonging to ths
museum. together with two loans. have
been hung IA Gallery - In accordance
with a plan for the arrangement Of the
pictures by count ries and epochs Tbs
pictures on loan are Lazarus and the
Rich Man an important work by Jacopo
da Ponte (called BassanoD belonging "a
u. r Plat, and a spirited battle piece
att ributed 10 Borgognone. lent by Mrs.
G. p Rwhran. Roughly speaking. these
pictures range from the latter par of
tho sixteenth to the latter par 81 the
eighteenth century. In Venice more than
elsewhere in Italy the late painters. the
: art lists - the so-called decadence. were
the most Interesting. In THE small group
the Vene'ians are represented by The
Last supper. Of the School Of Tint oret' o
I belonging 20 the museum: by Mr.. Plat :
/ BasSano both among the latest mani
/ fest ations Of the direct traditions of the
great time and by a fair showing 20 the
works 81 the eighteenth century by Ricci.
Tiepolo and Guard. The paintings by
the latter artist make up in charm what
they lack in seriousness Of purpose.
In the three canvAses by Tiepolo here
shown the virtuosity Of the craftsman =
ship and the purity Of the fiowerlike
color lead one 90 forget that the artist .
starting point was academic. though in
some Of his other works, a. for instance
in his pictures % the everyday life Of
mis- time unfortunately not represented
in our collection he proves himself
one Of ihosp who prepared the way for
Goya one II the pioneers Of nineteenth
century painting. To Guard. also. may
he accorded this honor. With Cana
lettp his master. he was one Of the first
90 modern times 20 cast aside the idea
81 artificial chiAroscuro in landscape.
substituting for IL the actual appearance
Of things in the real light 81 out of doors
The decorative beauty Of his pictures
justifes this choice. and they have
served a. models for many. To the stu
dent % art these late Venetian painters
have n significance beyond their accom-
plishment. delightful as that Is. in the fe-
cndity Of their inhuenc-.
The additions TO the library during
June aud July were 100 volumes. ~ which
ninety-two were bought and eight given.
The names Of the donors are: John II.
Buck. Joseph Debar, George A. Hearn.
=. Muller a Co. Don c. Seitz and n. A.
Hammond Smith. The number Of read
ers during the two months was Sii. There
has been a marked increase since the
II h.. -, h.
ing. The number 81 visitors during the
month % July was is.i7S. In ioOs the
number was 81 7S2. The acce=sions from
July N Ia August 20 comprise ceramics
enamels. furniture and woodwork. Ivor-
les. medals, plaques, &C. metal work and
sculpture.
Ms Wilhelm r Valentin~r curator 81
decorative arts, IN speaking - the recent
acce-sions in bis department notes that
a small beginning has hs''n mn de-. looking
to the dsvelorm-nt Of the collections Of
IN" smaller Decorative arts Of the Middle
Ages Jewelry. bronze-, worries and
enamelsI by the purchase OF several .arly
piec'-s. one Of these II a German bronze
cruelty Of the RomAnesqie period. made
about 100. in which the transition from
the Byzantine idea Of Christ triumphant
to the later Italian and Northern idea ~
the suffering Christ - clearly marked.
The figure is supported rather than hung
upon tn. cross, the feet resting on a long
block which relieves the tension Of the
arms. the head Is bent forward as in the
cricihIes Of a later date. but the expires
siv" features suggest victory rather than
the agonv Of suffering When compared
with French work ~ 'h.' sam. I-.riod this !
Cruc'X - much more primitive IN style
and rtId"r IN workmanship. The reverse
Of the cross - ornamsntsd with five disks. I
the central media lion b.aring the figure
oi he lamb aud those IN the four arms Of
the cross ono closing the symbols Of tn. four
avangalstS The surface was originally
gait Aand Il is possible that u may have
b.--n ahamslI.d, although in Germany
bronz-s ~ this kind were oftsn made
without the enamel finish
Another important piece il bronze |
Of twelfth century French !
workmanship. whlrh ~ t-Chnic shows |
greater yirtiIosity than that ofths crIcifx. |
which IN composition j, typical ofthe bold !
ness and elegance Of the country and !
period to which II belongs. A winged /
sphinx with erect femal. head and = tail |
terminating IN a dogs head supports on |
tie back the stick NOV missingl for the I
candle II admirably illustrates the free
dom 81 the early art IN which human and !
animal forms are combined with an |
Imagination convincing IN its reality. and |
AZ the same time u shows 10 what an sx-
tent thss. forms were used for decorative
purposes without the nsturalistic details
employed IN the LATER perio,ts TO attain a
realistic effect With all its simplicity ~
reveals clearly the ideas Of n great period
full 81 b.isf IN supernatural beings and
~" ability Of IN" early craftsman To ex-
press thu, b-li"f with powcr and beauty
not only IN the higher forms OF art but
IN ordinary household utensils
To IA" thirteenth century belongs a
DyN. or reliquary box. of gait bronze
IN different colors. made ~
Limoges This form u pvx. with the
roof. was IN use during a long
,"riOd. II was first made IN the antique
seriod. was later taken by the early
Tristan art sfterwari by the Roman
-lue. and It WIS not until tho Gothic
,.riud that the shape was completely
hanged The present piece represents
he end q The development Reliquaries