The New York herald., 1921-04-22
Spanish Churches
Yield Treasures
of Art Seen Here
AlmOneda Collection, Not ALI
Ecclesiastical, Shown Be-
fore It's Sale.

The glory that was Spain.s seems TO
have been caught up by some sort OF
modern enchantment and spread out in
the galleries of the American Art Asso-
citation. 1t is called the Almoneda col
lection. and 1t Is owned by Herbert +.
weissberger well known connoisserr of
Madrid. but in reality is a veritable mu-
scum that illuminates with especial brill
fancy the high artistic fights of the
craftsmen that gave added fame to the
great periods of Spanish history.
Only few days have been allotted to
an exhibition to which students and col
lectors could give q great deal oil profit
able study. 1t can be seen at once that
the Almoneda collection Is the finest OF
It's kind that the season has brought
forth. and the star features of it such
as the rare choir stalls and the wrought
iron cloister screen. produce their imme-
diate effect: but there are countless other
objects equally significant OF great
rarace that once dominated Christendom,
but which require the close scrutiny of
the student before they yield up their
full charm.
These objects are not exclusively
ecclesiastical, but include profusion
of tables. chairs. cabinets lanterns. pot
terry and damasks. all stamped with the
hallmark of romantic, care free Spain,
so well how to put to decorative use.
These are the features of the exhibi-
ton. They have bean so placed that
the inner room that holds them takes
on the aspect of medieval chapel.
The wrought iron reja, or cloister
screen, that stretches from wall to
wall dates from the early fourteenth
century. The central gate has the
familiar Gothic lines and the tall bars
Of the reja end in four petaled iron
flowers. The walnut choir stalls within
this improvised chapel are OF seven
teenth century italian make. They
were designed to occupy the apsidal
end of church. and are semi-circular
in plan. There are two rows of stalls,
the inner series containing book re-
ceptacles for those who occupied the
rear stalls. There are carved and
pierced acanthus leaf supports to the
arms and cornlces and these are
worked out with fine freedom and
grace.
In the same gallery and adding to the
churchly atmosphere is fine big lectern
and stand equipped with manuscript of
the period: and there also is an import
ant altar frontal and retablo mayor by
Jaime Vergos and Jaume Huguet. There
is retablo by Ximinez and one by
Lorenzo de Zaragoza. Among the de-
yotional carvings are many figures elo-
uuently expressive. There Is an earnest
head by the celebrated carver Montanes
there is a carved and panelled wood
retabo of the Byzantine school that
survives from the twelfth century, and
a stucco bas relief by Nina de Fiesole.
The lanterns are so plentiful in this
collection that they form little exhi-
l,ition in themselves especially evocative
OF Spain. They are borne aloft on tall
standards or swing from chains or are
bracketed to the walls. A wonderful
church cushion is specimen of the fa-
nous needleworls painting that was done
in the Escorial. the palace built by
Phillip III. and now the burial place OF
the Spanish kings.
In one room thcre are some large
panels Of oak which have been thickly
studded with the great nails and nail
guards that are sucl a feature of the
great Spanish portals. Sucn things
rarely come in collections OF Shis sort.
and doubtless they viii appeal to tho
museums as will also the numerous
specimens OF ancient damaslSs and other
fabrics that have been mounted upon
cardboard.
Miss r. VI. Lorenz. who Is responsible
for the installation of the objects In the
galleries, has achieved remarkable re-
suits In a decorative way. So much SO
that II would seem that the galleries
never looked better. which Is saying a
great deal. The sale occurs on April
&c. 81. 2S 30 and 80.