New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-29

laine, Anatole France and Rodin and
"Portrat Of the Artist and His Wife"
history Of Europe Is discussed by Sir
Claude Phillips in The London Daily
Telegraph. He says:
belgium is preparing to celebrate
with all due solemnity tho surrender
by Germany Of tho two great alter
pioces so often mentioned in these
columns, THE Alteration Of the Lamb,
by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, and 'The
Last Supper by Derrick Bouts. An
exhibition of these masterpieces Of the
early Flemish school will be held in
the Musee Royal des Beaux-Arts de
Belgique, at Brussels, from August IA
until September IS, both dates inclu-
sive. The event is one of extraordi-
nary Importance; it has not only an
artistic but political and, what is
far more, spiritual significance. For
the first time the present generation
will have an opportunity of seeing in
famous polyptych of tho Van Eycks,
and the most important altar piece Of
Derrick Bouts-works which at one
period of the World War we had de-
SPARED Of seeing again. Client lends
the central panels Of the 'Adoration
Germany has surrendered the Wings,
and the Museum Of Brussels contrib
utes the Adam and Eve which for
many years have been its main attrac-
ton. The center Of Bouts's Last
Supper, miraculously preserved from
destruction, comes from Louvain, two
Of tho side panels are surrendered by
Berlin, two others by Munich. At the
close Of the exhibition the Alteration
and the Last Supper will be restored
TO the churches for which they were
originally painted: the federation to
the Church of st. Baron at Client; the
Last Supper to Louvain, though, pre-
sumably, not to the ruined Church OF
st. Pierre, to which it belonged. IT
would not appear to have been decided
as yet whether the realistically nude
Adam and Eve which St. Baron made
over many years ago to the Brussels
Gallery, will now be transferred to the
great church whence they came, or
whether they will be retained by the
Brussels Gallery. 1t would be an act
of generosity on the part of the state
to hand over this, tho greatest, the
most significant work Of primitive
Flemish art, intact, and 1t would be an
act of the merest folly and short
sightedness on the part Of the church
to refuse gift Of such supreme i'm
the Alteration is neither pictorially
nor spiritually complete.
"The surrendered masterpieces of
the Van Eycks and Derrick Bouts will
be shown in the great gallery of the
Brussels Museum surrounded by the
primitives in which the gallery is al
ready so rich. 1t had been hoped to
add to the display the great Van der
Paelc altarpiece by Jan van Eyck ('The
Virgin and Child With Saints, and
Canon van der Paele in AdorationO,
and the wonderful portrait by this
master Of his sharp-featured unsym-
pathetic spouse. These two paintings,
with other great examples of print
tive Flemish art, are in the Municipal
Gallery of Bruges, and we learn with
surprise and sappointment-not to
make use Of a stronger expression
that 'insurmountable difficulties' have
arisen which will prevent their ap-
pearlng in Brussels on this great occa-
sion. When it is Il question of en-
HANGING the attractiveness of so mem
orable celebration as this is there
should be no insurmountable Difficult
ties!
at - expressly stated that the de-
sire of the authorities is to make of
the formal opening of the exhibition a
splendid and solemn function. The
Minister Of Science and Art. M. Jules
Destree, will preside; the director Of
the Brussels Museum and we'll known
writer on primitive Netherlandish art
M. Fierens- Gavaert, will address the
A"''sNo 6ueS|Ss anu some foreign !
critics Of note will speak on behalf of
the lands which they represent. Here.
then, Is celebration of its kind
unique. Lovers of Belgium and lovers
OF what is greatest in art will doubt
less take advantage Of it to the full.
Let 1t be remembered that the 'Ador-
alton of the Lamb is not only one of
the greatest monuments Of human
genius, one Of the greatest landmarks
IN art; it Is the symbolical represen-
tation of spiritual and physical an
tagonism merged and absorbed in the
radiance of the Divinity; of rcstful
quiet after furious raging OF the ma
tions-of peace everlasting after the
awful menace Of thu HbvaA"