Evening journal., 1919-12-29
forum RELIC
IS RESTORED
Harold Parsons Returns
Statue of Horses Head
Found In Store
COLASANTI CUSTODIAN
OF ITALY'S ART

ROME, Deo 30. (By Man.l-ThanNs
to an American, one Of the long lost at
treasures Of the Roman Forum has been
restored. Harold Parsons, OF Boston,
who has house here. recently found
valuable Greek antique that was stolen
from the Roman Forum seven years
ago, vainly sought after by ths govern.
ment and finally given up as lost for
ever
rne object, a remarkably boauti,ny
horses head in Greek marble, was ex-
"a ated is years ago and belone.i TO "A
very ancient group Of Dioscuri statues.
1t was placed IN the Forum and muck
admired by archaeologists from all,
parts Of the world. In October, 1912, it
vanished.
Mr.. Parsons, a collector OF antiques, =
/ round the head in a dealers store g.
short time ago, bought It and added it
10 his private collection. One day someC
Italian archaeologist examining the col.
lection recognized the head and told
Mr.. Parsons its history. He immedi-.
ately communicated with the institute
Of Fine Arts, satisfied himself that a.
was the missing piece and restored IL
to the Forum, for which the govern
ment profusely thanked him. The an
tiquary says lie had it in his store for
years, but does not remember who sOlIf
it 10 him
Through Premier Nitti's efforts
ltaly's magnificent Inheritance OF hns5
arts and antiquities has a thoroughly
competent, up-to-date custodian. Ar
duino Colasanu, one Of the greates.s
experts living, has been appointed Di-
rector-General Of Antiquities and Fine
Arts.
Antiquarians and art lovers in Amer
lea will remember his work at the Son
Francisco Exposition, where he was the.
first president Of the international jury
for Art. He is only Il and much tho
youngest director Of Italian state insti-
tutions. SO far his talents and culture
have been entirely neglected by the
Italian Government; but Premier Nitfi
determined to give him the post he ds-A
serves and can I'LL with profit 10 thu
country, and has done it after bitter
opposition from his colleagues OF tbel
old school,
Not the least Of Colasanti's merits
is the prompt and efficient help he rem
dered TO Italy's greatest art treasures
during The war. When the disaster OF
CapOIett0 opened the frontier TO eneny
invasion and the antiquities in tho
Venetian provinces were in danger he
organized and superintended the rescue
OF all monuments and fine art treasures
in the far zone, sending them TO Rome.
Pisa, Florence and other places. Venice
and other districts have now recovered
their statues and pictures intact.
Coiasanti has written several books
on Italian art.
Pope Benedict Is deeply interested
IN the new library at Louvain, priceless
volumes OF which were destroyed BY,
the Germans. He has ordered that the
Vatican library give 1t all the duplicate
volumes ii may need The Vatican,
archives date from the fourth century.
The library contains $4,000 volumes.
many Of thcm duplicates. and 34O9p,
The library staff Is busy
'r-cclinS books for Louvain. Besides
ese. several valuable works from the
apes private library are going thereF
with tEe rcopcning Of the eccleslasti-
'o44'7DS o-t lilOEe pTe-Wdf IeaLUr8
- Rome is restored But not lust as it,
.s-l to be. 4 picturesque characters
tc has Nanis2d. German and Hungarian
students have come back, but In black,
Their scarlet s0utanes, which used to
iglten mp the Pincio and the Piazza Ill
'pagna and led innocent tourists to be-
icve they were cardinals out for an
iring have been discarded. The Ro-.
mans called Them boiled Holsters" The
ierman COLLEGE rector evidently thmksf
hey would De too conspicuous undar
resent circumstances.
Tie German students number oulv.
o this year: in 1915 they were $50. Most
Il the colleSes report a very much de-
reased list OF students.
The American College, which repre-t
ents all Of The United States, has only
0 students: the Canadian, Bohemian
nd Maronite colleges are still closedl
he number Of students in<the ancient
'elgian College is reduced to nine. The
lrinetal colleges are a failure. In spile
I The Pope's efforts TO III them with
tudents from the East. The famous
IregOrian University which had to7