The Washington times., 1921-01-16

TdE most notable recent audltlOn
to the New York Metropolitan
Museum OF Art is the late W. X.
VAnderbilt's bequest OF ten historic old
masters and Of pieces OF furniture that be-
lenged TO Queen Marie Antoinette.
ITO indicate how important is this be.
Quest it is only necessary TO say that It in
Guides a great Rembrandt, an equally
fine Holbein, an unsurpassed portrait OF
the gay Madame de Pompadour and an ex
cepuonally interesting picture by the Eng
lisR master. Thomas Gainsborough
Apart from their great artistic qualities
and their great money value, the pictures
in the Vanderbilt collection have an ex-
ceptional historical interest. II would be
difficult to find small collection which
recalls so many romantic, dramatic and
tragic episodes OF the past
These paintings speak to us of tragic
queens, OF lovely frail fayorites, OF bold
atventuresses, OF willy courtiers, of all the
luxury, intrigue and wickedness OF court
life in the oden days.
Here is the very desk-the sscretaire--
I'll pun SuCSh hH1oihC' &c
probably penned her innocent love letters
to the gallant Comte de Fersen, the one
devoted ard unselfsh friend she found at
the heartless French court, the man who
made the desperate and almost successful
attempt 10 save her life. Here is the
beautiful "commode." the ancient side
hoard, which formed part Of the furniture
at the Petit Trtanon. Il was here that
the unhappy Queen led the simple and
retired life which, strange to say. in
creased her unpopularity ana was one OF
the factors that led to her downfall and
execution.
Another phase of French court life IL
~yidly suggested by the beautiful picture
in this collection of Madame de Pomps-
dour as Venus. 1t was the extravagance
and recklessness of this charmer that
nearly ruined King Louis XIV. and Franz"
and caused the suffering and discomfort,
that in the next generation conduced to
the ruin OF poor, weak Louis XVI. and
his Queen Marie Antoinette. How wen
derfully this picture speaks OF extrava.
gance without vulganty, Of grace without
heart and OF all the sensuous fascination
OF French eighteenth century life!
Then there is a remarkable picture Of a
dashing Englishwoman who was friend
of the sinister Duke of Orleans during the
French Revolution and went through an
extraordinary series of adventures in that
epoch
Still another dramatic historic period T.
recalled by the Holbein painting, when
brings to mind the sanguinary Neign of
King Henry VIII. the tragedy Of poor
Queen Anne Bolevn and the lives of five
other unhappy Queens. Every piece In the
collection, in fact, is intimately associated
wit fao
period.
The Vanderbilt gifts have been placed
in a room by themselves for the present
in order that they may be seen together
Tor a time before they are dispersed 90
their various logical positions In the
museum.
Many persons will find the picture on.
titled THE Toilet OF Venus" by Francois
Boucher. the most interesting work In the
collection. This is really a portrait OF the
fascinating Madame de Pompadour, the
principal favorite Of King Louis XIV. who
was so Justly termed the well beloved"
The picture represents Madame de Pom.
padour taking bath. and was hung In her
own bathroom. She is IN a pose apprc.
pirate to one taking a beth. but there arc
some imaginative additions that ore
would not find even In the most luxurious
OF bathrooms. The fair bather Is surround.
ed Iby flying cupids, who whisper pretty
messages into her ear and lay pearl neck
laces and other treasures at her feet
II was a pretty idea Of Madame de Pom.
padour that her friends when visiting her
bathroom should know how she looked
when she was there. The picture was
painted when she was at the height OF her
charm and power. Her influence over the .
French Ning was so great that Frederick
the Great, who was annoyed by her inter.