New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07

OK tho Barbixon school into this coun-
try. M. Durand-Rusl performed a.
useful q service in respect to the
French lmpressionists. It was in the
collecting Of old masters that the
first Of our leading private collectors
arose, Henry G. Marquand In New York
and John G. Johnson, in Philadelphia.
But In their golden days, Is in those
or the dealers aforementioned, the
market was restricted. An old master
like Rembrandt's Glider" brought to
this country by the late William
Schaus and brought by the late H
o. Havemeyer, was a positively sensa.
tional rarity. Unique gems, at por-
tentous prices, were almost never to
be had, and when they turned up there
was hardly anybody prepared to buy
them. Then, with the advent Of "bic
business" came a change.
Americans with bottonaless purses
entered the field and galleries abroad
that had previously seemed imprer-
naole began to open their doors, first
very quietly and unobtrusively. al.
ways discreetly, and by and by with
eagerness. 1t was in this epoch. a
matter of the last ten or fifteen years,
that Mr.. Frick became active. He be-
longed, as collector, to tho group
that consisted of Morgan, Altman,
Widener and Elkins. In their interests
the dealer assumed role very differ
ent from that of Avery, paying a few
thousands for picture by Millet, or
Cottier negotiating as nsedestly for a
Monticello or an Alfred Stevens. The
dealers of this later dispensation
marked down" some renowned master
piece in Europe as hunter marks down
his quarry, choosing the kind of paint
ing that the ubiquitous Baedeker used
to distinguish with double star. When
he got 1.-THE sold it to one Of the little
group of millionaires just cited.
People sometimes wonder il a mill
lionaire thus worked for is we'll served,
AS we'll wonder if banker with
Cr@sus for client always brings be-
fore him the best investments. What
other kind would he dream Of recon-
mending? Mr.. johnson once repeated
to the present writer a remark made to
him by Mr.. Altman, who was talking
about masterpiece offered to him.
"Of course I know" he walled, that
they will ask me an unreasonable sum
for this picture. But I suppose III
pay. I've got to have it," In this, Mr..
johnson added, his friend was unuues-
tionably following the right course.
There was only one thing to do when
you had started out to form a Ralley~
of tremendous masterpieces. That was
to pay whatever they cost. The gal
lery would justify itself. Sometime s
the logic of this coldly practical hypoth-
esis would be dslocated by sheer
human idiosyncrasy We recall the
story Of famous Yer Nicer in the
hands of New York dealer He showed
it quite casually one morning to Col
lector A. Later that day he had a
visit from Collector B., who liked tho
picture and might have bought 1t save
for one insuperable flaw in the situa-
ton. Collector A. had seen it first
That took the bloom off" Collector
B. didn't want it. Anecdotes of Mr.
Tricks career as collector are few,
but all that is known of him is testi-
mony to the fact that he had nothing
OF this petty narrowness. If there Is
one trait that energies from his record
1t is a certain large, courageous mode
of graphing with the picture market.
Regardless Of expense, he sent his deal
ers after big prizes, and got them.
He showed his courage in more ways
than one. The Frick collection is rich
in the type of celebrated painting
which the connoisseur and the layman
alike would identify as wisely acquired
paintings like Rembrandt's polish
Rider" and his portrait of himself,
from Lord Rochester's collection;
paintings like Galnsborough's 1.-THE
MALL" and his full length Of "Mrs
Bowater"; paintings like the three Yer
Meers, the portraits by Titan, Velas-
quez and Van Dyck, and the set of
Fragonard decorations which Mr.. Nor
gan previously owned. But these do