The Washington herald., 1919-01-24
PAINTINGS Give
F|NANC|ERS REST
Great leaders of Wall
Street Found Solace in
Work of Masters.

. Among the paintings contained in
the. collection OF the late John ".
Sterling. which was offered at auc-
ton sale day or two ago, was one
by Bouguereau. When Mr.. Sterling
bought this painting it was one of
a group Of four by this very famous
French artist which were offered for
sale at a time whene BOuguereau
was in high favor with collectors o.
pictures and was enthusiastically
praised by competent critics, es-
peciaHy for his mastery Of flesh
unts.
These four pictures were sold to
men of great wealth who had gained
prominence in the Wall street dis
trict. one of whom was president
of an important railroad system IN
the United States. Mr.. Sterling was
one Of the four purchasers, II the
statement made by a man of high
authority can be accepted as ac-
curate. At all events he bought this
Bouguereau and paid $500 for IT,
But the great French artist has had
his day and the accepted bid for
this one of his paintings. which
was bought thirty years ago by MT
Sterling. was only 1920.
The incident Illustrates the changes
in popularity of paintings which al
one time were deemed of great artistic
excellence and that brought higf
prices and have recently been sold fol-
a trife. Mr.. Sterling was numbered
among that considerable number OF
men Of great wealth and achievements
who found recreation in collecting pic
lures and who also expended a great
deal of money in securing a good
collection. He was a very great law
yer. Many esteemed him worthy 10
rank with the first four or five lead
ing lawyers at the bar of New YORK
City No man engaged in the prac-
tice Of law worked with greater assid-
uity at his profession thon did Mr..
Sterling. why he should have laboreo
so hard and steadfast was often
spoken Of as something of a mystery
He was not married. He lived the
life Of a reCIuSe. EXCEPT that he gath
cred around him a few very able men
who became his intimates. He was
named by James Stillman as one OF
the executors. under the Stillman will.
OF an estate of forty millions.
Mr.. Sterling did withdraw occa-
sionaIIy for a few weeks from his
practice. seeking TGCrea LOn ana re-
newed health BY fishing in Canadian
waters. and it was while on a pleas
ure trip Of this kind he died last
summer. His other recreation was in
collecting pictures. and then, in the
night time when his days work was
done. in yielding 10 the fascination OF
them. occasionally with a friend but
more often alone. He believed that
this intimate communion with his pic
lures greatly refreshed bis mind, took
him almost into another world where
only peace and happiness prevailed.
In this respect he resembled the late
John G. johnson. of Philadelphia, and
also the late ]. p. Morgan.
He must have expended, in securing
this collection. a considerable sum,
possibly $4,000. although the precise
amount is only an estimate of his
friends. Now that his pictures are
to be scattered after having been
sold at auction. IL seems certain that
the aggregate sum received for them
will be many thousand dollars less
than he expended in the purchase OF
them.
Some Of - the men who achieved
greatly in the generation that has
now ended and who were COnspicu-
Gus in. the financial life of the Coun-
try, in the Securities market of Wall