Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-01

AcE, eoEctiEsTER ls
 he study of Roman arcfitecture ana scenery are of an entirely contrary belief; < so that. after presenting these and contrary views, we must perforces leave the true decision and nterpre ta tions te the interested reader. IT ss Purely Ron1sn.
 In an earnest endeavor. however to obtain 8 decisive judgment, several of .he most eminent authorities in the country have been asked for their views and opinions, with the following result:
 Charles F. D. Belden, librarian of the Massachusetts state library, while disclaiming any technical knowledge of the subject, gave, as his belief that these views were purely Roman.
 He referred to Charles E. Bofton. librarian of the Boston Athenaeum. as a gentleman of wide culture and study. whose opinion upon the subject might be regarded as authoritative. MT. Boi- ton, upon being seen, gave as his opin- ion that these views were undoubtediy Roman, and said that they were the most beautiful and striking pictures of ancient wallpaper which had ever come under his observation
 AS president of the Society for tte Preservation of New England An tiquities, Of which William Sumner Appleton of Boston is the correspond ing secretary, MT Bolton takes a keen interest in matters of this sort. and upon the occasion mentioned he called one of his assistants to his office who examined the views with him, she also giving her opinion that while familiar with many specimens of ancient wall- paper, these were tine most elaborate and ornate which she had ever seen, saying that while the town of Deer held, Mass, contained several beauti- ful specimens this one was, to her mind the superior of them all.
 Roman Scenes and Roman Life. I
 Miss, Florence F. Weeks, an as4 sistant in the Anthenaeum Library, is an expert upon Roman and Italian ant tiquities, as. well as upon modern rel search in this direction, and it is ow- ing to her courtesy and painstaking examination of these pictures, that the identity of a number of the temples and other structures, has been estab- ished.4 - '
 She made no doubt that, the views
 
 artist as those of Roman scenes and | Roman life, and when her attention was called to the nature and the vary i ing styles. of the costumes of the ami : 1 mated figures there portrayed. some of | them hardly true to- the life of the ] period there represented, said that the work might well be that of an Italian possibly a French artist, who gave i free reign to the play of his fancy,
 without regard to strict correctness, as to the adoption of dress to the period. l Many of the temples and other struc- | lures were identified by her, upon a comparison of the views with the books in the library, at her command
 Among them, one very evidently in- ] tended to represent the Temple of Jupi ter; another the Temple of Vesta-
 now, known as the Temple of Heracies l The obelisk shown in the views, is
 one of several which grace the streets
 or squares of Rome, and because o1 l the fountain in connection with; it
 was identified as being related to the Claudian -Aqueduct, it being situated
 in the Plaza Naroda.
 One of the views may we'll be, in Shs opinion of this lady intended to rep
 resent the Villa of Hadrian, in thu neighboring town or village of Tivoli
 Upon a general and quite careful ex animation of the pictures, as a com
 plete work, Miss Weeks found n, | semblance of the Hove tale" suggested
 by others who have inspected them
 but as already suggested, believed tha
 the painter, whoever he might hav'
 been had in some things, given hi
 fancy free rein. without any continult.
 of purpose, or with any thought o
 weaving into his subject, romance 0
 any sort.
 l Upon her attention being called | the many fragments of broken col
 umns, she gave as her opinion tha d they were of no special significance nor were the outstretched arms am pointing fingers. so frequently to D met with in the animated figure l shown in this work.
 ! The judgment of Miss Weeks. thoug possibly not final, is an intelligent ex precision of opinion, backed by author tity, and is in all probability, as nea , a finahty in judgment as may D | found.
 } Should Be Carefully Preserved. 5 To the interested reader. who shG l examine carefully the views her shown, must be left freedom of judg } ment as to the meaning of this raT
 work. When man. of the characts 3 and knowledge of MT. Bolton. prc : nounce this the most beautiful spec. men of ancient wallpaper decoratio 5 that has come under his obseryaSiol with his many opportunities for ir f specting artistic work of this descriI ? ton, it may not be presumptuous say that this specimen should be prt 8 served, if not in it's present locado r then in some other, where M might n viewed more, generally by those 1T e terested in artistic works Of tn
 nature: :. Much more might be written. b' a las this description has progressed n the writing, the. author feels mo mo : than ever that the title first write
 at the outset of this article is not il y appropriate. and that the whole vol I may truly be regarded as. Cant n in Strange Setting. a