The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-17
MORGAN COLLECTION
TO Be SEEN TONIGHT
j. PierpOnt Morgan Had First
View Of It, Installed,
Last Evening.
WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW
Reception Tonight Is for
Guests Of the President
and Trustees.
WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW

scum. II was the first ting that he had
seen many Of the important items In the
collection. Even the late J. Pierpont
Morgan never saw some Of the objects,
they having been bought by those acting
for him and no. having been taken from
the cases in which they were packed for
shipment
At a reception to be given tonight by
the president and trustees Of the museum
the collection will be seen by the Invited
guests. The enamcls on gold. the Renais-
sance bronzes. worries. tapestries. minia-
cures, watches, old silver. and masterpieces
OF paintings that compose the most val
liable art collection in private ownership
win be open 10 public view tomorrow
and thereafter at the usual museum
hours.
At tho reception tonight. the new pes
ident Robert w. de Forest. will receive
for the first time in the official capacity
filled by the late Mr.. Morgan FOR SO many
years. The Invitations to the friends OF
the museums trustee nave been widely
issued and there Is - doubt the occa-
slon will be the most brilliant in the nu-
oeuius history.
Admission will be by tho Fifth ave-
nus entrance. where the cloak roonfs will
b located. Some idea OF the expected
attendance may be sained from the fact
that the entire big entrance hail is fitted
up with coat racks. To facilitate tho
progress through the rooms. it has been
arranged that the line Of guests. after
greeting the president and trustees in tho
BISHOP jade room, will pass to the right
upon entering the first gallery containing
the Morgan collections. and that the de-
scent to the main floor will be by tho
stairway In the now wing officially called
addition h"
Rooass Specially Prepared.
The rooms, handsome In themselves.
are fitted UP In different and always
agreeable tones TO harinonizo with the
objects on display. The Gothic and Re
naissance rooms are lined with dark We
leur In soft browns and dull reds. and
the eighteenth century room. with its
English portraits and wonderful French
tapestry furniture. has been purposely de-
signed to have the mir Of n drawing room
Of the period. Contrary TO the usual Gus
tom at these receptions, there will be no
music. II was though. that the Morgan
collection would be complete entertain
lnknt In itself. II was not known yes
terday at tho museum whether or not
J. Pierpont Morgan would attend.
For years the cables have been busy
with these collections, al one time saying
that they wer- 10 come 10 this country
and perhaps the iIeNt day denying the
report. Tho Irmenslty Of this accumula-
ton OF valuable objects held by an Amer
lean In London was for years one OF the
arguments against our heavy import tex
On works OF art and the argument that
the tax was depriving this public OF such
- collection was ore Of the potent argu-
ments that resulted in doing away with II.
city slow to Move.
Then finally the collection began 10
arrive here in packing boxes and these
NyaeA In he i'm n
ing available srace- for their proper ex-
hioition. The storerooms that housed
these treasures we're not 50 damp as the
word cellar" would suggest, but the con-
Germ Of the experts over tho long confne-
inent of the worries and miniatures IN
the packing boxes. away from the light SO
worked upon the late Mr.. Morxan's fears.
especially a. the city authorities seemed
to be unable TO make an appropriation
for new museum wing. that he said
that II the city did not wish TO accept
the loan VI these treasures he would in
ssail them In the memorial building to
Als father In Hartford. Conn. Thereupon
the appropriation for the museums add
don was made.
Last month a repor. was circulated
that the present owner had made plans
TO sell the collection. This report chiefly
excited the dealers, who are the persons
most appreciative OF the value Of
those art objects. Some OF them declared
that such a sale would upset tho prices
now current in :he art world. Others
said that years would be necessary to
manage such sale and that the buyers
would be from the other side and ali
agreed that the sale would be disaster
70 our national art prospects.
Installation . Delicate Task.
The museum authorities naturally have
had their share OF worry. for the Tn
"a Int ~ atNl 90
Q collection Ii not Il light task. They
have worked over the arrangements with
conspicuous devotion and success, and =
large share OF tO-night's CONGRATULATIONS
will be rneted out to them. The general
plan Of the arrangements and the decora-
tive scheme were decided upon 10y DR.,
Robinson. DR.. Valentine-. Mr.. Burroughs.
Mr.. Breck and Mr.. Freddy. The minla-
lures were arranged by Mr.. Burroughs
and the ancient bronzes by Miss Richter.
The bulk OF the material. however. consists
Of objects belonging to the decorative
arts, SO the burden Of the work fell upon
that department OF the museum. and TO Il
belongs the principal credit for the effec,
produced All the mechanical labor Of
the installation was performed by TIE
0ueeum's own force.
The architects. McKim, Mead & White,
have been markedly successful with tine
lighting arrangements. The skylights
are OF white r!ppled glass with u low
pointed glass roof over them. The electric
lights are Installed Just above the sky
lights. no that the light falls at the same
angle into the room by day and at night.
In the little Fragonard room. where the
woodwork originally used 10 frame the
famous paintings In Mr. Morsans London
house has been installed. an ingenious
continuance has been arranged No that
the electric lights are hidden The main
panel OF the ceiling has been lowered
r