New-York tribune., 1922-10-01
Fascinatiorns i'm
Cult for Fine
Old Drawings
Notes ON History of Beautiful
Facsimiles Produced in
Paris Through the Efforts
of Collector, M. Doucet
By Royal Cortissoz

The other day there arrived from
Paris two portfolios from the Societe
de Reproduction des Dessins de
Maitres. They bear the legend "sixieme
ct derniere annee," and with the date.
1914, the words irresistibIy move us to
some reflections on one of the delight
fullest artistic enterprises ever
launched in France, the immcmorial
home of such things. The war broke
off it's ministrations, and now, winding
up the publication in hand eight years
ago, the Socet& announces the COM
pletion Of it's work. II can look back
upon a remarkable achievement.
Good drawings have always had a
deep attraction both for the artist and
the connoisseur. The latter cherished
them in the Renaissance In the eigh
teenth century they became the object
of veritable cult. In modern times
this cult was revived. Some notable
collections were formed in England
and the subject was even more assidu-.
ous}y cultivated in France. The great
er galleries have never neglected It.
There are extraordinary collections OF
old drawings at the British Museum, at
the Louvre, at Florence and al Vienna,
Within the last fifteen or twenty years
the vogue of the drawing among pri-
vate collectors has enormously m
creased. The Goncourt, Muhlbacher,
Doucet and Heseltine sales aave con-
stituted major events III the art mar
ket. Prices have scared higher and
higher. To-day good drawing is
prize Only for the amateur with long
purse. But it is an old story that
needs create their remedies. Modern
reproductive processes have kept pace
with the demands Of the student VINO
cannot even dream of possessing origi-
nails, and societies have come lnSo e8r
igtence to give their subscribers the
benefit of these developments.
The old Durer Society, founded some
time ago in London, was, we beileve'
the first to do really brilliant Work IN
this field. Scattered through the ten
portfolios it dedicated Cover as many
years. to the German master, there ap
peared quantities of his drawings, re-
produced in something like perfection.
The practical exhaustion OF It's par
ticular subject caused this soclety 70
Iauidate, and for time we hearo
little @of old drawings save rs they
cropped IN in books, periodicals and
sale catalogues. Then came ~ Doucct.
The present writer has some charming
recollections of this distinguished
amateur ut his home in Paris. buiit N
the style Of the eighteenth century, and
then filed with paintings, sculptures,
furniture and bibelots, fnagnifcentiy
illustrating the period. II was prob
monument too an historic school ever
accomplished. Doucet had unerring
fair, and he had, fortunately, the nee
essary resources. He bought nothing
that was not felicstonsly right. Also ne
knew how to arrange his treasures.
The house was honse, not museum.
He had numerous rivals, of course.
There has been great devotion among
French collectors to the eighteenth CEN
curry. We recall at M. Groult's, for
example, some priceless souvenirs. But
Doucet's was the one fawless, exactly
balanced interior In all Paris. ulti-
inately it went under the hammer and
he took 30 collecting other things
works Of Oriental art and, it ID said,