New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-01
ART EXHIBITIONS
Mrs. Lydig's Renaissance and
Gothic Objects.


overage bidder does not care. Tinging
nth the acquisitive passion, he is con-
oerned with naught save the discontinue
- his rival But there must be occasions
,bat are different. and one Of them. we
ieiieve. has arisen in the case of Mrs.
pbilip Lvds's collection. which the Amer
Tan Art Association is 10 sell this week.
s,snosing Of some of the objects at its
Galleries next Friday afternoon and offer
inc the rest Oh Friday evening in the
eraud ballroom at the Plaza. Meanwhile
those treasures may be seen at the own
sr.s house No IS East sd street. to-day.
,o-morrow and Thursday. II is seeing
,hem where they have gradually been
broucht together that causes the thought
%. their dispersal TO be followed by somc-
,hinc like a pang of sympathy. Mrs.
rvdic's collection seems hardly a collec-
lion at all In the usual sense. Her works
~ art are. rather. parts Of an organic
whole. parts OF broad decorative scheme,
beautiful in itself and interesting as the
EXPRESSION Of an individual taste. There
seems a kind of cruelty in not merely
dislocating the delicately balanced fabric,
hut viping II out Of existence.
II is not large house. but the genius
NJ the late Stanford White made this in
terror appear. II not actually spacious. az
all events in perfect proportions. The
rooms and halls. very shrewdly disposed
N begin with. are provided with paneiied
or painted walls that make Just the right
background. and in the ceilings. as well
as in the old Italian niantelpieces. the
stvle OF the Italian Renaissance plays It's
eloouent part. breathing the same spirit
that runs through most of the movable
works Of art. The exceptions-Iothic
,apestries and carvings and Oriental rugs
enter, as II happens, into the ensemble
in the most harmonious manner. over
and over again We find ourselves regret
ting the breakup of such scheme as
This. on the other hand. ruthiessly put
ting sentiment aside we are struck by
the extraordinary opportunity which the
sale Of this collection affords 10 the Met
ropolitan and other museums ana 10 pr
vste BUYERS Turning from ones broad
impression 10 matters Of detail. II is OBJ
vious that Mrs. Lydig has an unerrins
eve for the intrinsic qualities in paint
inc or a piece Of sculpture. Her few
pictures make a wonderfully distinguished
group.
The salient member OF that group Is. OF
course. the Venus of BOtucelli. slen-
der figure. painted in tempera on canvas
which illustrates the most characteristic
traits of the master. Originally in the
Palazzo Ferroni. at Florence, and then
passiug from one English collection 10
another. II appears from the catalogue
that II was Cor years lost sight OF IN
remote country house. 1t emerged from
obscuritv in a fine state of preservation
the color intact and pure. the exquisite
drawing unhurt by the restorer All Oh
RotticeuPs linear magic is disclosed In the
treatment of the draperies and the ro-
mantle. waving hair. II comes our su-
uerblv. too. in the refined definition oil inc
Iono torso and the arms. In mood this Is
tho essential BotticelH an impeccanle
souvenir Of the grace and the style that
marked him and both IN the pose ana
about the face. OF that wisuuness OF
which Pater made so much II is lovely
picture. and a masterpiece. Ihe other
italian paintings include two oelghtfui
rttle sketches by Tintoretto and hano-
some portrait of q man in armor Dy
Strozzi. a work as robust IN style as II -
i'm subject But the important pieces
after the Botticell. are three Sienese
priniuves and a Florcatine virgin ana
Child" of about the same epoch Inese
AFRO beautiful examples of early Italian
na,vete OF that almost artless simplicity
IN the painting OF religious subjects which
vas nevertheless accompanied by anthem
ric fervors. a simplicity TO which. indeed
davout emotion and kind OF poetic re-
charm. The FIorentne panel is by an
unknown painter. The sienese trlo -
formed OF Sano d. Pietro, Matteo Oh '1io-
vanni and Neroccio di Landi The Ineio-
djous sequence that lies in their mere
names is somehow felt IN the tender eN-
ouisite qualities OF these pictures. Here
az elsewhere. Mrs. Lydig's collection
takes US back to the purest springs OF an
historic school.
She has other paintings-two portraits
BY Moro. Of which one, the PORTRAIT OF
Man" is very fine, an attractive Mazo'
and full-length by Coello, 1.-The Girl In
Red" which is quite the most brilliant
and decorative work by this formal span
ia-d ever brought 70 the United States.
Gut when we have left the Italian paint
ings We are moved TO turn pretty quickly
10 the Italian sculptures. In fact THESE
do more than anything else. more even
than the Botticelli, 70 give the collecuoh
its unique character. Never before nave
We had q sale here of such gems OF the
Renaissance The Madonna and Child
a relief IN marble BY Mino da f1esoie' is
not. 10 be sure, so richly touched as one
might wish II TO be. with the subtle en-
chantment OF his noblest things FOR
that we must still go back &c Italy. But
this Is work Of great beauty just
the same. and merely for its touching
sentiment Il will hold high rank Iech-
nicallv. the best passages I'm 1t are those
containing the straight lines OF the Ma
donna's robe Mino looms most conspicu-
ouslv among the sculptOrs here. Dut
there is a polychromatic and gided Ma
donna and Child" done in high relief by
some nameless Florentine early In the
fifteenth century, which for certain
poignant beauty is almost TO be preferred
10 the marble Just mentioned. This piece
IN stucco is haunting IN It's sweet EXPIRES
siveness. the modelling is fun OF beguil-
Ing little rnodulations, and the color gives
the last touch 20 what we can only de-
scribe as q simple. unconsciously achieved
triumph. Two Florentine reliefs, likewise
coored go happily with TINS Jewel an
Interesting but not so penetrating seven
tenth century Madonna ana Child
done in the round. completes the group
aud then there come three fascinating
"tondp' of Della Robbian origin. with