Evening star., 1911-10-20
Work of Quarter Century.

more than 65OOO persons have taken ad-
vantage of the privilege.
Work of Quarter Century.
The rooms are so crowded, however,
that there is not an inch of spare space
upon the walls, and you have to squeeze
between tall cases of fnatchless curios as
rare and as valuable as can be found in
the Metropolitan Museum at New York or
at the Kensngton in London. 1t is one of
the great private collections Of the world,
and has been assembled by Mr.. Walker
personally during the last twenty-five
years.
Mr.. Walker, as 1 have said, is a lum-
herman. He came to Minneapolis from
Xenia, Ohio, as a surveyor in early days.
bought timber lands and set up a saw
mil; then he bought more timber lands
ana set up more Sawmils, and he con-
tinued to buy land and to saw and to ship
lumber until he became one of the richest
men In the west, and has kept adding to
his holdings~untii he now owns an area
of forest, east and west north and south,
as large as some of the kingdoms of Eu-
rope. He has reached a point where he
realizes that money has values that most
men nave never dreamed Of, and that the
greatest satisfaction to be enjoyed by a
man OF taste and culture is to surround
himself with things Of beauty
The Walker gallery is a surprise to
everybody who comes here, because 1t has
not been advertised and few people know
anything about 1t. And, indeed, skeptics
can be excused for incredulity when you
tell them that examples OF Raphael.
Michael Angelo Rubens, Carlo Dolci, Mu.
riilo. three of Rembrandts, six of Tur-
ners. four portraits by Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds, three of Van Dyck's and portraits
by Gainesborough, Hogarth. Holbein and
otner equally great artists are hanging
on the walls OF Minneapolis house.
Perhaps the most precious OF all Mr.
Walkers collection is a portrait of Pope
Julius II. painted by Raphael from life
quarter in thickness. When it came into
his possession the panel was so badly
eaten by worms that it was only she'll
1t was actually honeycombed and the
wood was cut away to about half an inch
In thickness in order to straighten and
cradle 1t. Mr. Walker obtained the pic
ture from the collection of Sir Cecil
Miles OF Leigh Court, England, which
was famous before it was broken mp
This portrait is spoken of by Dr. Waaeen.
director OF the Royal Gallery Of Pictures
In Berlin. in his celebrated volume en-
tilted Art Treasures of Great Britain"
and published in 1854 as "a mastery re-
production of the original In the Fall
SELF
Conception Of the Deluge.
The Michael Angelo is a queer and
jumbled conception of the deluge, paint
ed on vellum with an old oak panel for a
stretcher, and represents the waters ris-
Ing everywhere and driving the inhabi-
tants into the trees to escape drowning.
1t is characteristic OF its author and
finely drawn, but evidently was never
finished.
MIR. Walker has. one of the four Van
Dycks which were smuggled out of Ge-
noa about year ago in the upholstering
Of an old settee to evade the Italian law
which prohibits the expectation of val1a-
Bile pictures. There was a great sensation
when the facts were discovered All of
the four pictures came from the same
palace and were painted about 1885 by
Van Dyck for the ancestor Of the owner
who was famous merchant in the days
when Genoa ruled the seas. He was a
director of the Bank of st. George, which
at that time held the same relation to the
commerce of the world as the Bank Of
England does at present
Fabulous stories were published about
the prices paid for these paintings ana
although only those directly interested
know the truth. they We're unprecedent.
ed. j. Pierpont Morgan. H. c. Frick of
Pittsburgh and P. A. B. Widener of Phil
adelphia each got one of the pictures
and Mr.. Walker got the other.
Another example Of Van Dyck in the
Walker collection bought from the collec-
tion of DIR. Thompson of Sheffield, Eng
land. is a striking portrait of a Jewish
rabbi, wearing his hat and holding his
hand near his face, which is characteris-
tic Of the artist, who loved to paint hands.
The catalogue says this picture has al
ways been regarded as a genuine painting
by Van Dyck and has all the excellent
qualities and characteristics of this great
painter
The third Van Dyck is a portrait of a
mother and child which Is described in
the catalogue as "a genuine replica of a
larger one which is in Dulwich Gallery
London. 1t came from the collection Of
Lord Jersey and was purchased many
years ago. when its authenticity was not
Has Three Rembrandts.
The three examples Of Rambrandt are
| one OF the many portraits which he paint
| ed Of himself. the portrait of the wife of
| some Dutch merchant or alderman-a
plain. wholesome woman of his time
and burgomaster with a reddish beard
from the collection of Jacob Anthony Van
Damn of Dortrecht which the catalogue
says lis this great masters most attrac-
| tive style
| 1t would be difficult to find among all
| his works a more beautiful portrait, and IL
| fs considered one of the most character
/ istic in softness and refinement of tone
| The Rubens. from the collection of the
| late Lord No.thwick, is a group of the