The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-26
YERKES EXHIBITION OPENS
TAPESTRIES AND
RI GS ~ MADISON S0I ARR.
the nmpOTtant Collection 20 Oriental
Carpets Enrtches Two Galleries with
Color aOd Symbolism, white the
Many Paintings FIii Fight Galleries.

Color aud symbolism. while the
Many Paintings FIn Fight Galleries.
Such Of the contents ~ the Charles T.
ierkes house as are to IT, sold at auction
next month in Meudelssoh Hall. namely
the paintings. rugs and tapestries. are
on exhibition beginning this morning
at the American Art Galleries. and 81
all the varied exhibit ions that have been
held there none gave to the galleries
as a whole the aspect they have to-day
The spectator IL glad that the statuary.
the rich furniture and other objects
were left to be exhibited later IN the
mansion. FOR now you can So these can
vases and textiles ia uuob-trliCted gal
leries. though II has taken every available
room and corridor from rwenty-thri
10 Twcniy-srcond street Ia display them
Here arr some two hundred paintings
by more than - hundred art lists and they
range from a modern -ls-ia and swan
with an interest to acute observers 81
current events peculiarly its own. through
Corot and Monticello. FrAns Halls. REM
brandt and many more to the Italian
Prtmitives. They occupy eight q the
ten galleries besides corridors. and the
Primitives have a gallery q their own.
The paintings will be made tho occasion
~ n separate review. In anticipation
Of the many visitors whom the interest
already expressed has led the management
toexpect To want to So this exhibition the
Twenty-secOnd street eNit % the galleries
has been opened and visitors ARE invited
To leave that way which will prevent
uncomfortable congestion at the entrance
The two large galleries gwen over -
the rugs and tapestries not only rrprc-
sent "a fortune in dollars and treasure
house OF art. they present 4 spectacle
Of rare beauty. here brilliant. there sub
dued. but everywhere attractive and
interesting. Most Of the rugs are on the
walls. and one looks at them and seems
10 feel them as pictures. In their beauty
under the softening and refinement Of
time they seem not ever 10 have been
meant to walk on. hardly TO kneel on. until
one sees IN a prayer rug the evidence
Of It's much Use in tho vertical restoration
down the centre. Surely the pious early
owner 81 this rug perhaps a Succession
Of him-has folded and unfolded Il many
times and packed u over many miles
OF the homeland on the back Of his beast
praying AZ the prescribed hours in the
halts Of his pilgrimage There IL the
plain record Of u. for the Mussulman
folds his prayer rug lengthwise to strap
u 10 his ack animal. and along this YER
tical line Of the fold II first begins 20 FRAY
One wants To thank the re-torer for
preserving the interesting rug and IN
his work only adding a reminder 81 its
intimate associations Yet the prayer
rug Is a minor hit among the great carpets
Of the collection.
Amid the wealth Of color ~ these woven
pictures ny fifteenth and sixteenth cen
fury artists and the intrcacies Of their
design. the symbolism ~ the Fast speaks
a. plainly as IN the art Of China or japan.
though with differing symbols Above
the arches - his temples the weaver
pictures the blue which 20 him IL not
merely the sky hut an emblem Of eternity
He divides the design Of his rug and
pictures az the bottom only scenes ~
earthly significance.
He reeves characters giving the fraR-
nents Of old songs or folk sayiugu hut
n h." puts IN Sav1nzs from IN" Koran
II ~ only ON "A rug 20 l.. used for reyer.u-
tread upon the holy book. He -p"aks
m green the holy color and IN yellow
when ho would he joyful. yellow - a hu..
that glorfies the mans" The ancient
7 .
~ an imperial dignity, IN" ancient weavers
- these Persian tag. used a yellow thai
II affiu"nt. glowing. Warming. 20 that ~ !
IL not difficui' q SEE ,T TO feel why 7
- the Fast this color meant Joy Th.. f.
weaver sr..a g. through the -ilrfinUer 81
the ancient FIRE worshippsrs and tho
later ZoroaStrlans. through the poppy
and the lotus and through that curved
line, resembling an - living on lis side.
whiSh as an emblem ~ the sun. light aud
a a
than The -wa~tIka And on the walls
- thes-' galleries he speaks elcquently
The story - the great ca rpet from th.,
ArJishil mosque has already been told IN
THE SUN. The carpet hangs here for the .
admiration 81 the appreCIative and the
study 81 the curious, a. do the Polish
rugs. Of which THE STN has Also told.
thOs.. fabrics ~ mysterious origin and
strange charm. heavy with the gold and .
SILVER threads which form 80 important
a part Il their texture There are halydad .
carpets. important records IN the art and .
craft history - the Fast. HispanO- Maui
reSque carpets. "A SarRCenic carpet a
PerSo- ATanic tomb carpet and Damascus
prayer carpet. the latter hearing an IN
scription IN Hebrew characters There .
~ a Persian state carpet mors than forty
feet long
H. their designs and colors soma ~ tho
rugs are slIbduod and somhr". others
intrlcaU" and .Huherant One ~ "A very
HsfNk IFN " WINS itlfsNeaftiA-
and brilliant bir,is. and figures IN elaborate
cost uins- "a IA" surroundings 81 tho truly
happy II may b. a garden party ia Para 3
dlss'. - IN" CltaloRiE hints. or - wedding
feast ~ hs al-o iniimats-s m IN" ulentiOn
Of ducks which attend the party. ducks
teing m this rich symbolism 'mblcmatIc
Of matrimonial felicity. In another rug
IN" bursting buds 1T sprIngtIn" tell th"ir
own story. aud again IN Polish carpet
ar" the low ton - Of autumnal coiors.
Tbs Fwh'r" again ~ pictured tn eternal
conflict f.iN".'n good and evil. typifi.i d
by lions or tig"rs attacking deer or rabbits.
str myth h-ing vITtrr,. aud weakness bat
a poor AMI wi thing IN tn" "iefn-ntal
philosophy of ia" Land 81 thu wonderful .
carT--ts. Atafn and Nv" ara depicted AZ .
ia" tim" 81 IN" appl' "pISOIc, Tia" dragon B
appears In on. decoratlv" -ch'rnc, ard I
another suggestion % th. Chimes" com"S .
in m" Use ~ Ga" clouh form symbol 81 3
happiness and long life placed nppro-
prist.ly upon IN" blue of Immortality
Among IN" tapestries ~ a Brtlssels .
aev"nternth century cloth Of gold. about
fourteen by fifteen feet. a brilliant and 1
BEAUTIFUL fabric with an elaborate com
position Ut landscape and figures whose
significance may b. studied out at Individ-
Il r.I.