New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-09
Museum Officials to Place Part
of S50,000,000 Art Col. /.
lection on View in a
Few Days.
ROOM FOR THE REST SOON
Financier's Consideration Of
Hartford Spurred Metropoli-
tan to Action-Two Years
Required to Complete
Morgan Wing.

hibition Of some of the art treasures
brought to this country by j. Pierpont
Morgan, and stored now in the Metro
politan Museum of Art, ii was learned
yesterday that the museum will place
the paintings in this almost priceless
collection on exhibition within a few
days. Coming closely on recent reports
that Mr.. Morgan had been viewing
Hartford as possible place for the re-
ception and exhibition Of his works, be-
cause Of the delay in getting his collec-
ton out of the packing cases here, II Ia
believed the museum officials, wanting
to run no such risk, intend to exhibit in
part Mr.. Morgan's wonderful collection.
rather than wait until the proposed
Morgan wing is completed
There have been assurances from the
members Of the Board Of Estimate that
the money necessary for the Morgan
wing will soon be appropriated, but.
even so, it would take fully two years
to complete the structure.
The Tribune was also informed from
a trustworthy source that the museum
trustees would probably take up Mt
their next meeting. a week hence, the
matter Of exhibiting other parts of the
collection.
Some for the Now North Wing.
While it could not be ascertainei
yesterday what other part of the Nor
gan art treasures would be placed IN
exhibition, 1t was thought by persons
who were in a position to know that
the new north wing. known as Addi-
! tion II, which is now nearing COM
pletion, would afford space for soma
parts of tn collection.
This wing was planned for other
things. Many Of the art objects meant
TO be placed on view there when II IS
completed have been stored away,
awaiting the completion OF the struci-
ure. The north wing is not large
enough to accommodate all Of the Nor
gan collection.
scum heads expected the completion OF
the north wing in about two months.
1t may be completed before that time.
and even at an earlier period 1t may be
tor exhibition purposes.
Even though funds for the proposeI
Morgan wing, to be known as and K,
should be provided early in 1913, 1t was
said yesterday by officials of the PARK
Department that it would be impossible
to get it under way without some de-
lay, and that 1t probably would not De
ready for occupancy for at least two
years.
In a statement he made a few days
ago DR.. Edward Robinson, the director
of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, did
not hesitate TO say that the delay IN
finding space for his art treasures IN
other places than in packing cases was
getting on the nerves Of Mr.. Morgan.
1t is this frame of mind Of the financier
which probably has stirred the mu-
scum officials to decide at once to find
at least temporary place for the
paintings, and perhaps for other parts
of the collection.
Collection Valued at S5o,0o0,o00.
The value of the Morgan treasures
has been placed anywhere from price
less to the more modest estimate ~
$J0,0O0,OO0. The value Of the paintings
In the collection is seen in the names
Of the artists represented. Some Of the
most noted are the following:
Raphaers "Colonna Madonna" ap-
praised at S5OO000; set of Fragonard
panels, $325, 900; Gainsborough's The
Duchess OF Devonshire," 100000;
Major Holfords landscape by Hob
bema. $150,OO0.
Other paintings include the work of
Turner, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Rae
burn, Romney, Constable, Duman, Van
Dyck, Frans Halls, Rembrandt, Ru-
bens, Hobbema, Raphael, Velasauez.
Millais, Troyon, Bauginet, Villegas y
Cordero, Vannutelli. Bucciarelli. Nine
Vigee Lebrun, Natter and Pater.
Rembrandt is represented by three
paintings, Rubens by two and Hoo
bema by two. Turner Is represented
by his Lake Of Albano" and one other.
There are said to be forty paintings OF
the English school and eighteen rep
resentative of modern English and
American schools.
The Morgan treasures are stored in
the museum on the third floor, and are
kept under strict guard. The police
have closely watched the museum it
self since the arrival of the Morgan art
objects. They represent the collections
brought together at different times and
for many years kept in his house In
London, at the Victoria and Albert
Museum, formerly the South Kensing-
ton, and other London museums.
Early last spring the treasures be-
gan arriving in this city, and the last
shipment is scheduled for this month.
The value of the collection was
placed at $5O,O00O00 by Mr.. Nathan,
the appraiser who was sent to Europe
before the shipments were made to this
country. DR.. Robinson has been quoted
as saying that it is the greatest col