The New York herald., 1921-02-10
Renaissance Art
From Italy in a
Notable Exhibition
Luigi Oreselli Antiques Placed
on Exhibition Before
Their Sale.

Lovers OF Italian antiques, particularly
of the periods of the Renaissance, will
take especial pleasure in the Luigi Or
selli collection. which transforms the
galleries of the American Art Association
for the moment, into a medieval palace.
The collection is one OF importance.
and 50 extensive that five afternoon ses-
sions will be required for it's dispersal,
beginning February 15. There also is
an interesting collection of paintings
being shown there. and these are TO be
sold February IA.
Mr.. Orselli is well known in New York
as an antiquary, and in his establish
ment he had fitted out many rooms in
the medieval italian fashion. Like
Prof. Volpi. his attitude toward the
works of art he handled was rather that
of the connoisseur than the business
man, and so, although his collection IS
diversified. 1t hangs together remarkably.
and we'll illustrates the tastes of the
noble Italians who made history for the
world. The furniture that has come
down from those historic times has the
character of It's owners stamped upon It,
The great Italians were men OF large
ideas and had dashng methods of car
rying them out. These antiques have
all been planned to an imposing scale.
and freedom that is the despair If mod
ern producers. For that reason assem-
blies such as that of this sale have
especial value for students.
In the Varied Collection.
In addition to remarkable tapestry
chairs, refectory tables, cabinets. chests
wrought iron candlesticks and torcheres,
overmantels, mirrors and ornamental
art objects there is an exceptional dis
play of Genoese velvets and other an
tique textiles. In all of these bold in
vention is supplied by these master de-
signers, and where the colors once were
daring they have been beautifully re-
fined by time. Not all the pieces are
Italian. A notable tapestry chair with
walnut frame is Of French make from
the Louis XIV. period. and there are
many Spanish items. A Florentine wal
nut cabinet Of the sixteenth century
much ornamented. was acquired by Mr.
Orselli at the Stefano Bardini sale and
Ligurian Bambocci cabinet of the
same date came from the Volpi coIlec-
ton.
decorator with the genius of the
late Stanford White would see modern
possibilities In some of this furniture
undreamed Of by the old designers He.
for instance, would not have hesitated
to have turned the top and side carvings
of one of these old bookcases into a
fireplace, although the present example,
sixteenth century piece. is admirable
enough to survive for several centuries
further on it's merits. But Stanford
White. however, like Moliere, took his
"bien" where he found II. He, too,
might have thought Mr. Orselli's painted
stage in someone's private theatre. 1t
Is not too small for certain kinds OF
plays and certainly could not be i'm
proved upon for taste.
FIorcntine Four Poster.
Another noticeable item is a sixteenth
century Florentine four post bed, as
splendid as the one Augustin Daily used
in his production of the "Taning OF the
Shrew." 1t has tapering posts with
spiral fiutings. the lower portion carved
with dancing Cupids, 1t is immense in
size and came from the castle of the
Duke Verzuolo via the Davanzat Pal
ace collection.
The paintings on view are chiefly mod
orn, but a few works by the ancient
masters are included for the sake OF con-
trast. By Ramundo de Madrazo. who
was so nuch admired by the late w. NJ.
Chase, there is an interior with figures
called Preparing Tea" the still life
quality of which Is extremely clever.
Knitting" by IT, II. Kaemmcrer, whicn
shows lady and child sitting in the
Luxembourg Gardens OF Paris. also has
much skilful painting.
"'rhe Flight Into Egypt" by George
Hitchcock, is a modernistic exposition OF
the theme. Charles Rolio Peters is rep
resented by q moonlight view of the
"San Juan Mission" There Is still
life by Chardin. n Judith" by Benja-
min Constant and works by D'Hondo-
coeter, Adrien Moreau, r. w. van Bos-
kerck, Van Dyck and BENJAMIN West