Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-05-02
DIR. N. O. HELLER OF LISBON
PROUD POssESsOR OF GEN
U1NE TEN1ERs PAINTING
OF MUCH VALUE.
is KEPT IN BANK Vaults
Rev. Chas. w. Harris of This City
Tells Story of the Rare
Painting. =N
BY REV. c. w. HARRIS.

Down on the Sheyenne in town
which has never made the pretense
Of being an. art center is a painting
which deserves to be hung on the
walls Of any Of the great galleries Of
the world. The proud possessor Of
this masterpiece is DR.. n O. Heller
Of Lisbon, who showed it to the writ
er and told him the fascinating rom
ance connected with it's loss and re-
covery.
The picture is by David Teniers, a
celebrated Flemish painter of the 18th
century. During the days when Bel
GUM was overrun by the English, the
French and the Spaniards in turn,
when the little country suffered we'll
nigh as much as it does today, Ten.
iers painted TRANQUILITY pictures of do.
mestic quiet, rollicking tavern scenes
and village festivities, as if there was
nothing else than peace and joy in
the world. He inherited his talent
from his father, but so much greater
was the son, that when Teniers is re-
ferred to, invariably Teniers the young
er is meant. He was pupil Of Ru-
bens and from him gained the magic
Of his coloring.
Missing Masterpiece
He is said to have painted as ccm-
panion pieces "The Smoker" now in
the Louvre "The Card Players" in
the Dresden Gallery and "The Snug
glers," a lost picture. DR.. Heller be-
lieves that he has the missing master
piece. He supports his contention by
the following authenticated story.
AS he told the story | held in my
hand the picture.%It is not very large,
only eight by twelve inches. 1t is in
very old frame. In spite of the
fact that it has not been cleaned for
perhaps a hundred years and has hung
most of that time in little English
cottage, the figures are clearly differ
entiated; so is the signature "Da Ten
iers," in the lower right hand cor
ner. The central figure in the group
holds schooner Of beer, while dan
cling up and down in wild abandon.
The cause of his JOY is perhaps the
discovery of two, who are standing
near him. holding a box of jewels
which they have just opened. On the
opposite side, the figures balanced
harmoniously, as is the usual case
with a Teniers, is man holding a
thin stemmed pipe. It is difficult un'
til the picture is cleaned to Judge the
coloring or to II whether the picture
holds rank with the rest in the triad.
MysteriousIy Lost.
"The Smugglers' was in the collec-
ton of Lord Cecil until 1925 when it
mysteriously disappeared. AT that
time Lady Cecil had waiting maid
who was very beautiful and with
whom young Lord Cecil fell in love-
His father learning of the passion pur'
chased commission in the army for
his son. and the latter was sent away
to Spain. Before his departure he
gave the girl whom he hoped to marry
on his return watch, diamond ring
and the picture from his fathers gal
lery. On this expedition he was kill.
ed. The girl never married and kept
TO the close of her life the picture
Upon her death it was committed to
the trust of brother and siser, who
under very straitened circumstances
sold the painting to Thomas Prentice
of Bichester, omitting to tell, however,
the circumstances just narrated.
Prentice was an art dealer. by
| some accident for which Dr.. HELLER
was unable to account the picture was
nut uD at a private sale and was
purchased by it's present owner Prem
tice did not at that time know its his
tory and it was not until later that
he secured sworn statement from the
aged woman to whom the picture had
been beuueathed. The statement is in
the hands of DR.. Heller.
The circumstances under which Dr.
HELLER became the fortunate posses
sor of the painting are these. During
the summer of 1895, while a student
in Edinburgh he had gore on trip
to Bristol. and while there attended
several sales of old curiOs. Over-hear.
ing a conversation Between several
art experts he understood that the
picture in question was probable
Teniers, and was delighted when
rare opportunity was offered him Tor
buving IT. on terms which he could
afford. Returning in Edinburgh ne
had the assistance of several inter-
ested parties in tracing the history
of the picture. While he said little
or nothing about his prize he receiv-
ed letters from the National Gallery
of Scottish Art, from Paris, from Lord
Salisbury in regard to the picture.
Pesisting all offers of purchasers, ne
brought it to this country
Kept in Bank.
During most of the 20 years it has
been in his possession he has kept 1t
in bank vaults. Once it was taken
Continued on Page Two')