New-York tribune., 1921-04-02
EARLY Spanish Art
Examples Seen in :
Medina Collection
Old Paintings, Carvings and
Furniture in Interesting
Display at Anderson's;
Rare Laces OH Exhibition
BY Royal Cortissoz

Dy NOydl AOItlSSOZ
A curious and on the whole in
teresting collection has been placed on
| view at the American Art Galleries.
1t comes from Spain, the property of
Seiior Laureano Medina. Tho first
superficial impression it conveys is of
a quantity Of unimportant cid pictures
but closer examination reveals num-
Der Of valuable things, pictures having
some historical significance and sew
eral good pieces of furniture. 1t is
perceived then, too, that the collection
has q peculiarly Spanish atmosphere
The Primitives here are all worthy
Of attention. They may not be impos-
ing performances, but they are au-
thenic passages from the annals of
early Spanish art. Nothing could be
more characteristic than the Gothic
altar piece (No. 1000 in which some
obscure painter of tho late fifteenth
century has depicted the resurrection
and accompanied his central episode
with four sanity motives. The panels
disclose the precise difference between
Spanish and Italian naIvete. The for
Ihe latter is always little uplifted
BY. the passion for beauty; it is naIvctc
spiritualized
None of the old Spanish paintings in
this collection is exactly beautiful
They are all expressive of the racial
point of view, tnged by the influence
OF the Netherlandish artists. The
drawing of Luis Borrassa may be a
iittle hard, but there is vitality in his
figures of ST. Peter and st. John.
painted for pair of sanctuary doors
ono. lo7). In most of these Primitives
one notes also the sumptuous strain
fused with Spanish austerity. They
we're somewhat bleak, the painters Of
that school, giving to devotional art
q distinctly ascetic turn in matters of
form and expression, but they loved
gliding and rich color There is in
the group u good example of the
monastlc style just developing into
something fuller and less doctrinairc,
the Christ in the Garden" given to a
hfteenth century Catalonian. 1t is.
again, wanting in beauty, but as a
document we would like to see il mass
into the Hispanic Museum.
The carvings form a good yroun bv
themselves. ranging from Gothic iyory
1igurlnes and fifteenth century statu-
cites in wood to q splendid pair Of
sixteenth century twisted columns
There is fine est. Jerome" (No. 34)
of the latter period, which is cata-
logued as an anonymous work. with
the note that it has been attributed to
Berrusuete. Whoever made it was a
master OF his craft, gifted, as a
sculptor, with little of the quality Of
style.
: From the statues in wood it is an
easy transition to the furniture, which
Includes some excellent cabinets. The
salient object is a walnut table of the
seventeenth century (No 68), really
charming antique. French watches and
fans figure among the miscellaneous
items, and there arc various textiles;
but the collection remains essentially
Spanish, with the SAVIOR that comes.
TOR example, from the old copper
brasero (No. 400, which takes the
turesque sacristies of the country. The
sale occurs next Tuesday evening.
Along with the Medina things there
is shown in a neighboring room a
quantity Of laces belonging to Colonel
Leon Osterreith, of Antwerp, which
will be sold on Tuesday afternoon.
The occasion will rejoice the soul of
the connoisseur. Even to the mascu-
line observer these miracles Of design
and workmanship convey .the stimulus
OF beauty. Flemish lace, of course.
predominates, but there are specimens
Of all the schools-Spanish and Italian
French and English. There is even a
souvenir of Danish taste, and the
Orient is not neglected. There are 223
pieces in all
Judson D. Metzgar, of Moline, ILL.,. is
selling next Monday and Tuesday eve
nlngs at the Walpole Galleries an in
teresting collection Of Japanese prints
and books, mainly the work OF Hiro-
sshige. The catalogue runs to more
Gated to an Incompatible master OF
Japanese landscape. Hiroshige had all
of the decorative mastery Character
1st'c of his school. He is superb in
his panels Of birds or flowers. But
his true genius is dispalyed in broadly
conceived Impressions of the visible
world, in those endlessly enchanting
scenes of his whose delicate realism.
poetic in its refinement, lends grace
to & robust fecundity. Amateurs will
gather cxcitedly around this sale.
Their Libraries, as we'll as their port
Iohos, will profit by the affair. Mr..
Met7gar offers an Interesting array Of
English books on his subject.
The Rosenbach Company, in Phila-
delphia, announces the exhibition and
sale OF the J. 2. Temple collection of
antique English and Colonial furniture.
1t displays at the same time the same
owners collection of early American
glass, noted assemblage of about
1000 pieces.
~ sSA 0ssRsD J|za2