Evening star., 1914-11-21

| trance. is a bust of Houden of Loaise
| Brogniart. simple and unaffected which
takes its place well. Art has no ma
,tionality.
Passing through the door, beside
which on a pedestal stands the Houden
bust. one enters the second picture gall
| lery, where all the remainder of the
paintings in this collection are shown.
right hangs a full-length portrait, the
much discussed of Philip " by We
lasquez. At one extremity of this wall
! hangs an earlier work by the same
less typical. but in some ways more
interesting-a painting of both beauty
and emotion. At the other extremity
hangs portrait by Titan, the great
Venetian master-a portrait of a per-
sonage of distinction. Intervening are
portraits. one of man. the other of a
lady. by Van Dyck; and as it has been
i truly said. Van Dyck at his best. suave.
brilliant, handsome, worthy court
painter.
In marked contrast are the early
Italian paintings. the Flemish primia-
tives and the early German works on
the other three walls, and yet not one
whit less interesting. There are great
port great works The precision with
which the early works were painted.
the evident direct intention, the sim
cerity and skill should teach lesson
today whether they do or not Again
In this choice and varied collection 1t
comes upon the observer that SIM
plicity. honesty and skill made all
gifted artists fellows In distinction.
In the second picture gallery a few
cases have been placed wherein are
shown some choice examples of art OBJ
jects-an exquisite cup. worth a kings
ransom. which was wrought by no less
celebrated a craftsman than Benuvento
Celinni. Here. too. are some beautiful
hi ~
| rare. SO exquisite that they seem not
ito be ION show" but rather lending
decoration to the assemblage of treas
ures.
There is but one painting in the gal
trait of Mr. Altman, the collector and
donor. The walls in this room are
hung with rugs and suitable objects:
around the walls and on low plat.
form in the center have been arranged
furniture Of rarely beautiful design
and workmanship. On two Of the
carved tables against the wall are COW
ers of old and very lovely crimson
Italian velvet. This is a charming
wish long to linger.
The two remaining galleries are de-
voted to Chinese porcelains-fino ex-
amples and very handsomely display
of specimens have been apparently
sought and secured and to some degree
a uniformity in character has been ad-
hered to- The examples shown are
very remarkable. and as they are
grouped fill the beholder's vision with
a sense of color and splendor For the
most part the pieces are large.
There is something about this coll
lection which suggests the pleasure
that the collector must have found in
his work of collecting. 1t is compre-
hensive. yet not too varied, Of broad
interest, but never tiresome. No sin
gle piece seems to have been included
on account Of oddity, but rather be-
cause of a quality within itself. And
as such, 1t Is exemplary. Those who
are interested in art and love beautiful
things will find 1t a perennial Joy,
some ething to turn to for refreshment
and assured pleasure when the pres
ent and its manifestations seem con-
fusing and less easy to understand
Certainly this collection was royal
gift to the American people.
TN the Fine Arts Galleries. New York,