New-York tribune., 1921-05-17
Art Museum $
S'Urllxilow11 80. T.
Elder Bretl2g 9. g.llel
The Harvcsters,' Purchased
Without Identification,
Is Traced When Clean
ing Shows Mister Name
Goes on Exhibition Today
French Prints, Drawings and
Early American Furniture
Also Added to Displays

Acquisitions to be placed on exhibi-
tion to-day at the Metropolitan Museum
Of Art include a painting called The
Harvesters," by Pieter Breughel the
elder, which was purchased as an IAN
/ known" It s regarded by museum
authorities as most important artis-
tic discovery Its authorization and
other announcements, among them the
opening Of an important exhibition of
French prints and drawings, are related
in the May Museum Bulletin, issued
yesterday
THE Harvesters" was purchased sew
eral years ago on the recommendation
of Bryson Burroughs, curator of paint
ings at the museum He believed it to
be work OF the school Of Breughel the
elder, perhaps by h.s SON, Jan. accord
ing to the facts stated. When the pic.
ture finally was cleaned a false strip
was found TO have been added to the
bottom and the joint painted over with
heaVy brown glaze, which, upon re-
moVal, revealed the name Of the senior
breughel III his known signature In
the museums opinion there ia further
important significance in the fact that
the painting Is probably one ot a SERIES
OF works by this artist representing the
months of the year of which only four
productions are known to exist. 1t is
supposed that the present "tind" rep
resents either August or September in
the famous group.
Bought From American
The painting was obtained for fair
sum from an American collector whose
name was not made known. In its
present form the painting has a greatly
increased value, besides being a most
desirable addition to the Flemish art
group at the museum.
Many friends of the institution have
contributed to the showing of French
prints and drawings opened Yesterday
IN rooms adjoining the gallery which
houses the impressionist exhibition.
Its purpose is to supplement the latter
with examples from hundred years
ago to the present, as we'll as to point
the absence of q line of demarcation
between the drawing and the print.
about fifty French artists are repre-
sented, including Forain, Steinlen.
Gauguln, Barye, Ingres, Guys. Ga
varne, D'Aumier and the representative
etchers.
Ihlrty new pieces Of Etruscan pot
terry, vases and jugs are added to the
classical winu, a notable one being a
Jug in the form OF q. siren. These ex-
anples are decorated With relief and in
clsed ornamentation of the best period
Early L. s. Furniture on View
Examples of early American furni-
ture on display in the room of recent
accessions are a nineteenth century
tall clock of inlad maple, made in
Utica in 1912; an eighteenth century
mahogany sideboard in Sheraton in
f1uence and Colonial girandole
Other acquisitions consist of Chi
nese silver cup OF the Tang period and
pieces of American glass, the gift Of
Miss Minnie I. Meacham, including
Millville, Stiegel and other makes
Louis A. Biddle has lent q piece of
early American wood sculpture, life
sized group entitled "America Crown
ing the Bust of Washington" 1t is
attributed to William Rush. In the
room Of Japanese prints there is fine
exhibition of Japanese Surimono
prints recently acquired by the Mu-
scum.
The election of John D. Rockefel-
Ter jr. as a Museum trustee is an
nounced, as is the resignation of Rus
sell A. Plimpton, assistant curator Of
decorative arts, to become director OF
the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.