The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-27
GAR OF RUSSIA
RIVAL OF M0BCAN
Both Struggling for Acquisition
OF Great Treasures Of
Art.
THEY PURSUE SAME POLICY
Duties Of Royal Barge Master
and His Thirty Water
men.
THEY PURSUE SAME POLICY
NY Ia MAnau1sE DE ToNTENoY.


great rival and competitor In the
acquisition Of the great treasures
OF art that come into the mar
ket. 1t is competitor of whom liteie
or nothing is ever heard, and yet WHO
has managed to accumulate such an
extraordinary collection OF master
pieces as to render that of Mr.. Morgan
iniinitesmal by comparison. From an
artistic point OF view this is to be
deplored, for. whereas the Morgan &C
questions are usually placed on eXNi-
bition at the metropolitan Art Museum
IN New York. at the South KensingtoE
Museum In London. or else can be
seen after certain formalities have
or at his wonderful library building
IN New York, tho treasures purchased
by his great rival arc wholly lost 10
the public, and even to the majority
OF art lovers.
The competitor In question Is the
crown of Russia and Nicholas III. is
pursuing the policy of his predeces-
sors In purchasing. virtually regard
less OF cost, anything Of really excep-
tional value in the shape OF old mas
tiers and statuary. The larger part OF
the painti- IS. indeed the finest of the
lot. adorn the walls OF the Hermitage
Palace at st. Petersburg. The contents
or OF this beautiful palace. specially de-
ures, are virtually unknown to art
experts and art lovers, for the palace
Is extremely difficult OF access. and to
obtain admittance to the Hermitage
influence and favor than presentation
at the court of ST. Petersburg.
1t owes Its name to tho fact that 1t
was first built as n retreat by Cathe-
rine the Great. to which she could
retire, in order to surround herself
with literary and artistic friends and
The most artistic surroundings, much
IN the same way as Frederick the
Great at Sans Souci-in one word.
sort of temple Of the muses., such as
Tie Hermitage of Jean jacques Rous-
seau at Montmorency. She formed
there the nucleus OF the present col
lection of pictures al the Hermitage by
purchasing the world famed gallery of
the great Saxon statesman. Count
Sruehl, at Dresden the equally cele-
DRAFTED Walpole collection. and that of
the Berlin art expert ard dealer, Kots-
koWsky. who had gathered together o
magnificent collection of paintings OF
the italian. Spanish, Flemish and
french schools, at the instance and al
the order OF Frederick the Great, who.
owing to his heavy expenses in con-
nection with the Seven Years War.
aound II impossible to take them over.
ana left them on the Dealers hands.
When Alexander l. entered Paris at
the mead of the allied forces, after the
pattle of Leipsic, In 1914. his first care
was to place himself in communication
VIII, Win Empress Josephine. whom he
knew to be in straltened circumstances.
and to offer her suitable sum Of
money In return for the art treas
ures with which her home at Nal
mason was then filed. He also had
ON ttu.noer OF MS agents engaged, with
out an tnstant's delay, in purchasing.
a. rldlcuiously low prices all tho most
famous paintings which the victorious
i,isafshals and generals of Napoleon had
Ssr ,,I,si . baeA from Germany. Italy.
Ne .a a., spain. Portugal and from the
~ ~, therlands, in the shape of plumber.
me generals. fearing that they would
under any circumstances be compelled
10 disgorgc their treasures. the loot
VI natlohai museums. OF churches, con-
vents, cathedrals and public and pri-
yate galleries, We're only too glad to
get some money In return for the sur
render. and In this way Alexander MAJ
", pe SAID TO nave acquired for the Her
n -, axe what was undoubtedly the pick
~ al tAc MASTERPIECES of pictorial art
mat had been carried off to Paris
as piunder during the Napolconic err
oraer 70 convey an idea OF the
r y, etltin, OF the HermitaGe, / would
ty-two of the finest Alrillos In 49,
ence: three OF the best Leonardo do
:, incis, and the six best Ranhaeis
known Fandyhe is Represented by
~ ~ paintings and Rubens By
a "a II. and III. and now Nicholas
~ ~ nave all followed In the footgteps
OF Catherine the Great and Alexander
l., that is to say. purchasing. re-
gard!ess of cost, the finest master.
pieces that come on to the market
ana to Nicholas I. belongs the credit
1 %, having reconstructed the tlermitacn
Palace In such a MAGNIFICENT fashion
that II would be worth travelling all
across the world to see, even IL there
were not single painting on It's walls
or bit OF statuary in it's galleries
! ne metal work Is Of extraordinary
beauty and richness, while the mis-
iazu!i, rlalachite and those other sent
precious stones of Russia have been
used with the most artistic profusion.
especially the agate. which Is worked
manner.