The New York herald., 1921-11-17

Several new accessions will be placed
on view to-day for the first time at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art Chief
among these is a tondo in enamelled
terra Gotta by Luca Della Roboia. one
of the freshest and most delightful
works conceivable in this medium. IT
Is medallion sixty-nine inches In di-
ameter, and represents Prudence sur
rounded by a wreath of fruit and leaves.
1t was purchased last spring In Paris
at the sale of the Heilbronner collec-
tion by the French Government, and
forms welcome accession to the Mu-
seum's collection of Florentine sculpture
of the Quattrocento. which has hitherto
included but one example OF the work
of Luca, the exquisite Madonna and
Child in the Altman collection.
In view of the fact that the use of
polychrome terra Gotta Is utterly prac-
tical in modern buildings and there
has been talk Of late Of renewed
| use Of 1t in American architecture. this
gem by the greatest master who ever
| worked in the medium should prove an
| inspiration to architects.
The medallion presents Prudence as a
| young woman in half figure holding in
her left hand mirror typirying re-
fiection and in her right a serpent, en-
blem of wisdom. The back OF her head
shows the mask of bearded man, rep
resenting the fact that Prudence looks
both before and behind. The figure is
| enamelled white on a. background OF
dull blue. and Is surrounded by q wide
| border ornamented with garland Of
frut-grapes, ounces. citrons. pine
cones, oranges and cucumbers, modelled
boldly yet delicately in high relief like
the figure itself, aud exquisitely col
ored in shades OF green. yellow and
violet. There is a freshness of feeling
and a delicacy of color and detail in
this work which elevates the products
of Luca Della Robbia above those OF
his family and followers. The way in
which a nice balance Is struck between
realism on the one side and stylization
On the other is worth going long way
to study.
The history Of the terra Gotta Is
slightly uncertain. but 1t is believed
that 1t may be one Of three originally
intended for the Pazzi chapel of S.
Croce. It's date Is between 1850 and
1860, when its creator was at the height
of his powers. The museum is display
ing It in gallery 12, which is devoted
to medieval French and Italian art.
Two striking antique Italian twisted
columns or red stone, placed just op-
posite. are also new acquisitions.
Seven representative examples of
Roman portrait sculpture have recently
been added to the museums collection,
two dating from the Republican period,
three from the Augustan. one an ex-
ample of second century work. and one
product Of the third century A. d.
The two Republican portraits are shown
in the room of recent acquisitions. and
are strikingly fine examples of the dry
and caustic realism which characterized
I the Roman art Of portraiture at this
period. One Is of an old man, and one
Of man of middle age, and both are
types OF sober. practical hard headed
, citizens. and would pass quite as well
for modern American captains Of in
dustry as for contemporaries of Julius
Caesar Two heads of the Augustar
period of a mother and her daughter
done In a more gracious tradition. nigh,
also have been studied from American
types.
In the socalled Gold Room there has
been rearrangement of forty-siy
pieces Of the museums really admirable
collection Of stained glass, so as to show