The sun., 1912-07-21

In the realm Of art Botticelli OF the
Florentine school and master OF lineai
decoration. who is represented in the
museums Of two cont inents. Is always
name to c9njure with.
Another Botticelli has recently been
discovered. a decorative picture Of Venus
as the fair goddess emerged from the
sea part tally clad in clinging drapery.
full length figure. which has been COM
pared by critics to MARS and Venus"
and the celebrated Birth Of Venus in
the Uffizi Gallery at Florence. Of which
this example is said to be a study. al
though it differs from the Uffizi goddess
in design and pose. For nearly half a
century this picture Of Venus was hidden
in tho dark stairway Of an English manor
house belonging to the family Of Lord
Ashburton. where it formed part Of an
INTEREST," ling and valuable collection Of art
treasures.
1t CHANGED to be brought to the at
tention of Capt. Philip NJ. Lydig and
Mrs. Lydig. who were making q tour
through Europe. and after some prelimi-
nary negotiations they secured the prize
and it has been recently installed in their
collection Of Italian paintings. When
the owner Of the estate decided to dis
mantle the edifice the painting was dis
covered.
According to the story Of the painting
it appears that Lord Ashburton secured
the picture of Venus about fifty years
ago. when forming his art collection.
|. is stated that he purchased the paint
ing in Florence. where it had been exhib-
| tied in one Of the old palaces OF that ar
tistic city. rich in treasures OF art and
sculpture. 1t was included in the estate
when tho daughter of Lord Ashburton
married the Marquis of Northampton.
1t came to Capt. and Mrs. Lydig through
the efforts of n gentleman who discov-
cred the canvas in the house OF the Mar
Quis, whep il had remained for years.
An English writer says in regard to
the work: This picture. like Botticelli's g
Birth of Venus for which it is study
is on canvas. not on a panel. 1t was
formerly in the Feroni Palace in Florence
Italy. After that it was in the Bromley
Davenport collection
! Grove and Cavalcaselle were the only
modern critics of note who knew the
picture. apparently. In the last edition
of their history OF painting they mention
the canvas. placing it next to Botticelli
MARS and Venus" in the National Gallery
"This picture il obviously allied to the
Birth of Venus in the Utiizi. says con
noisseur. -The Venus is taken from the
same model and is somewhat similarly
posed. Like that picture too In the
drawing OF the hands and feet and In
the white drapery it reveals the masters
hand"
German critics with DR.. Wilhelm Bodt
OF the Kaiser Friedrich Museum regarC
the similar picture At Berlin (mcntioneC
! by Grove and Cavalcasells a inferior
to this one) as study or . preliminar.
work
Neither the Berlin Venus nor this on,
has anything Of the character of schoo
. copy. They both differ essentially iron
tho "Venus" Of the Uffizi in design. Tn
> Iydig picture differs in pose from tn
> figure in the Uffizi picture even more thai
does the Berlin Venus.
, The Lydig picture. too. is more freel
= PAINTED and IL rendered with create
{ freedom than the masters usual works
q II has in fact the qualities Of a preliminar
I work, executed to please the maste
. !, himself "rhe conclusion seems to he.
!. continues the connoisseur, that the pic
o ture il one of those referred to by Vssar
who in speaking Of the Birth of Venui