New-York tribune., 1912-02-23
ART EXHIBITIONS
Lafayette Souvenirs and Ancient
Persian Pottery Shown.

The birthday anniversary OF George
Washington was an appropriate time to
rl.oo on view the collection Of souvenirs Of
tbo revolutionary War, which drew many
vteitors Yesterday at the American Art
Galleries. These mementos are the prop
ertv Of the present Marquis Dumottier de
LAFAYETTE who sets forth in the catalogue
his Iineal descent in the female line from
the Lafayette who impressed his person
alitv once and for ali upon the early history
Of the American nation.
The present marquis explains. In his
sworn statement. made in Paris in 1905.
how the French government had permitted
him 10 take the name Of "de lafayette
and how the property now exhibited in
New York was bequeathed to him, 1t being
the collection of personal souvenirs that
had belonged 10 the famous Marquis de
LAFAYETTE, and had been handed down in
the family until now.
The most striking object in the collection
is the large silver gilt vase, Of monumental
pattern. given to the original marquis by
the French nation in 1880. a piece OF
SCULPTURE d'occdsion which Frenchmen
might well be 10th TO see leaving their
with the collaboration Of others. including
the engravers, Mulerat and Vechte. The
vase, which, with its pedestal is four feet
high, has handles like vine branches and It's
decorations are abundant female figure
at each corner of the pedestal represents
one OF the virtues. while there are four low
reIiefs. depicting, respectively, Corvallis s
surrender, Lafayette taking the civic oath
before the federation Of 1890 on the altar
Of the French fatherland. General Latay-
cite presenting the Due dOrleans TO the
people and tho distribution of the colors TO
the Paris National Guard on August 3D.
1880. These reliefs are sculpturally hand
some, and they are in the same key or
spirited ornamentation that prevails
throughout tho work II is fair to assume
that for this exceptionally interesting me-
mento there will be a keen competition be-
tween historical societies, museums and
private collectors. II should ultimately
find its way to q public gallery.
In the same collection there is a bust OF
Washington in white marble. by r. j. D.
Pion, dated 1871. incredibly suave in style.
il was exhibited at the Columbian Bxhioi-
ton in 1893 by the French government
There are maps in water color Of battle
fields, made during the Revolution by La
fayette's aide-de-camp, and there is piece
OF the American frigate Alliance. on which
vessel Lafayette twice crossed the Atlantic
Letters from American statesmen TO the
French popular hero and many other
memorabilia are found here. The Lafayette
collection will remain on view until its sale
next Thursday afternoon, February %.
Another collection. of an interest less
personal, but OF real significance to lovers
of what is artlsucally worth while. has
been put on exhibition at the American
Art Galleries. II comprises the old Persian
Greek. Mesopotamian. Rhodian and kindred
examples Of pottery, glass and rugs
brought together by the brothers kouchakjl
who until recently had gallery In this city.
AS Horace Townsend points out In his sug-
eestIye introduction to the catalogue, and
In his notes upon these echoes Of the
Moslem spirit Of long ago, there has grown
rapldly. in the last decade. an appreciation
in this country for art OF the schools
erouped under this broad title. The ex-
cavatlon Of the Syrian and the PERSIAN
deserts has yielded treasures of rare beauty
and interest. 1t is even possible says MI
Townsend. to assign with commence
quantity OF these shapely and glowing
nieces OF faIence TO the ateliers OF the
fsbIed Measure city OF Observation-Disclosures
the remote Rakka.
And SO the visitor may look upon YES
sells and vases and other articles OF adorn-
nent or use which perhaps served their
turn In the houses OF ninth century foik'
sucb as one may see counterfeited upon
the stage to-day in "Sumur0n." Whatever
their sources. these things are OF a heart
ening Ioveliness Of form and color In many
cases the irldescence that comes only with
the passage Of great spaces OF time ana
with entombment IN the preserving yet
corrodinp earth has glorifed these disheS
and Jars and cups.
This iridescence has in few cases per-
formed service still more valuable, for
II has covered or partially obliteratec lines
Of design that were not always d!st.n-
guished-let the visitor look. for example
AZ Mesopotamlan bowl, numbered 49, in
a cabinet at the right side Of the entrance
room. Here the black decorative pattern
was applied with a bourgeois hand. In thick
lines and gmears that have no essential
distinction. The fact IS worth calling at
teption 70. If only TO remind one that there
were grades of artists and artisans in those
days as we'll as this.
1t would not be profitable TO attempt to
enumerate the many examples OF splendid
pottery here, or TO do more than mention
the presence of the rugs and the italian
majolicas. which look, II must be admitted.
ike poor relations when seen in the com
psny OF the early Persian work. The show
is worth seeing. 1t will remain until tho
sale. beginning next Monday afternoon.