Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-30
FINDS ART TREASURE
Mr.. MoIkenboer Discovers
Miniature by Halls.
IN HOME OF MRS. PILLING
Latter Paid $3.50 for Little Paint
ing-May Now Be Worth
$1,000.

Iheooore MOlkenDoer, one OF the fore
most of the present-day portrait painters
OF Holland, who has just completed a
portrait Of President Taft. has caused a
sensation among artists and collectors
throughout the country by the remark
able discovery in Washington of an origi-
nal miniature on copper by Franz Halls.
contemporary of Rembrandt, and one
of the most celebrated masters of the
Old Dutch school of portrait painting.
Picked up twelve years ago by Mrs.
James c. Piling Of 1343 18th street north
west in an old curio shop in Washington
for the small sum Of $3.50, the minia-
ture today would bring not less than
$1,000 in any auction room, while its his
torical and sentimental value to art deal
ers is more than that
Mr.. Molkenboer a chevalier in the Or
der of BrOnZeNaSsau, who has made
faithful study of Halls, and is perfectly
familiar with the great painters work, is
thoroughly convinced that the small min
| iature of Dutch gentleman which has
been hanging in Mrs. Filings drawing
room unknown for so many years is au-
thentic There is on the left-hand side
of the miniature faint signature of
Halls, with the initial F. so constructed
that it forms a part OF the III" in the
last name. The fact that it bears the
signature and its intimate likeness to
fists eye the instant he saw it, is suf-
ficient, Mr.. Molkcnboer says. to con-
vince him of the originality of the pOr-
trait.
Examination by Experts.
Both he and Mrs. Pilling are taking
active steps to have the miniature eX-
amined by experts and reprints of it
clearly showing the signature have been
sent to Holland and the Metropolitan
Museum at New York. where there are
number of Halls portraits.
Mr.. Molkcnboer himself took the
original to the Library of Congress,
where are two of Halls portraits. and
carefully compared the signatures and
colOring The result of his visit was
encouraging. although he found it diff
ficult to compare the signatures on
count of a slight difference in each
portrait.
1t was quite by accident that Mr..
Molkenboer stumbled over the minia-
ture. He was calling last Sunday after
noon at the home Of Mrs. Pilling. who
has made many very interesting art
collections. While he was talking his
eye happened to he attracted by the
sight of a small miniature in a gilt
frame hanging before him or the wall.
The striking personality in the face
held his attention.
Mr.. Molkenbber asked the history of
the miniature, which represents a Dutch
gentleman in the costume of the fif-
teenth century. Mrs. Pilling told him
she had picked it up in a curio shop
about twelve years ago. because the
exquisite coloring had attracted her at
tention. She had bought it for Il minia-
ture of Oliver Cromwell. she said. and
had paid $3.50 for the picture and the
frame 1t had been hanging on her
wall ever since.
Convinced It Is Genuine.
Mr. Molkenboer's keen artistic instinct
and the fact that the miniature greatly
resembled Halls style caused him to take
the miniature over to the light, where
he saw enough to convince him that it
was very rare portrait painted by a
great artist. He was so sure that it
bore a strong resemblance to Halls that
he removed the miniature from its
frame, and with the aid of magnfying
glass. discovered, much to his joy. the
signature IF. Halls written family on
the left-hand side. in about the middle
of the oval
Mrs. Pilling learned that the miniature
was sold to the art dealer by Rev. DR..
F. NJ. Bristol at one time pastor of the
Metropolitan NJ. E. Church. who fire.
quently sold curios he had picked up at
random. The picture was sold as a por-
trait of Oliver Cromwell.
Rev. DIR. Bristol is now bishop of the
NJ. f. Church at Buenos Aires, South
America. and Mrs. PillinS has written to
him asking him to relate the circum-
stances under which he obtained posses
sion of the miniature. 1t was sold for
a smaller sum than Mrs. Piling paid
for it. At present the miniature Is being
carefully guarded by Mrs. Pilling and is
being shown to those OF her friends who
are interested in art collections.
Peculiar Touch of Coloring.
1t is three and one-half by four inches,
and even a novice at painting could see
that it is masterpiece. It's peculiar
touch of coloring shows it to belong to
Halls earlier period Mr.. Molkenboer
said, and it is an excellent example of
the great artists warm coloring
Halls was born in 1854 and died in
HARLEM August d. 1866. He was one
of the greatest masters of the Dutch
school of portrait and genre painting and
a pupil of the great karel Van Mauder.
He was an influential teacher and found
er of national style.
Mr.. Molkenboer. who discovered the
rare miniature, came over TO this coun-
try especially to paint President Tafts
portrait, which he did in two sittings.
1t is fine likeness to the President. He
is from Amsterdam. Holland, and studied
in Amsterdam, Paris. London and Ger
twenty years ago. painting many promi-
nent persons in Holland. among them
Paul Kruger and Jan Six, owner of the
Ppmhrandt collection in Amsterdam