The New York herald., 1922-01-22
PAINTING SPURIOUS,
DUVEEN MAINTAINS
Sir Joseph Risks $500,000 in
Backing Criticism of La
Belle FerrOniere.'
TRIVIAL COPY, HE SAYS
Reply to Suit Picks Many
Flaws in the Disputed
Da Vinci Picture.
EXPERTS AS WITNESSES
Ringrose Withdraws as AttOr-
ncy for Mrs. Hahn, Who
Sues Art Dealer.
EXPERTS AS WITNESSES

Even though it may cost him $780,
900. Sir Joseph Duveen yesterday re-
iterated his opinion that the portrait
of La Belle Ferroniere," now in this
city. lis not an original painting from
the brush Of Leonardo da Vinci.
Sir Joseph. the president of Duveen
Brothers Of Fifth avenue, Is being
sued for half million by Nine. An
dree Hahn. wife Of Capt. H. ]. Hahn,
formerly Of the American Air Service,
and a niece OF the Marquis de Cham
bure OF Brittany. She Is now In
Dlnard. France. Mrs. Hahn filed the
suit through Hyacinthe Ringrose. an
November, after Sir Joseph's opinion.
30 she alleges. prevented the sale OF
the work 20 the Kansas City Art In
stitute for 100000.
IN his answer to the complaint He'd
with Mr.. Ringrose Sir Joseph
through his attorneys. stanchfield
Levy. emphsticaiiy denies that Leonardo
ds vinci 10 fhe creator Of the Hahn
psinting ana continues firm In his be-
iicf that n h . COPY OF the original La
Relic Ferroniere." which. he says. is
m the Louvre at Paris. He goes further
70 add that the Hahn portrait was not
even painted by an artist Of the first
rank. His opinion Of the portrait occu-
pies ten legal size sheets OF paper.
Artist Greatest Dra aftsmsn.
eir Joseph says In his answer:
Leonardo da vinci was born in or
about iib2. lie was apprenticed to An
dres del verrocchio. one OF the mas
ters OF that period, and under his in
structions Leonardo became one OF the
greatest craftsmen OF all times. lie was
q great sculptor and a very close student
~ anatomy. He was also a scientist.
An n these qualities are shown In his
studies. sketches and paintings"
Tire art dealer alleges that the oil
fumnnate skin and grasp Of the human
structuro such as Ds vici possessed
he specifies:
''Thc head Il attached on the shoul-
lsrs ~ poor fashion. tho plaits of
dsrs IN poor fashion. the plaits of flesh
and the iefthsnd profile hiatt ate. ia
below the chin are not natural: the neck
y out of design: the modelling OF the
shoulders and breast is crude and print
tive Whereas the paintings by Leo
nsrdo such as ''st Jerome Alteration
OF ST. John" Mona Lisa" "St. Anne"
and The Annunciation' show that Leo
nsrdo was n consummate master: In his
understanding and grasp OF the struc-
turc OF the human body he could pre-
sent u with reality attained by few
others because In his paintings and
studies and preliminary sketches ne
never violated any Of natures principles
and laws"
SIR Joseph points GU; an sbeence OF
''fhe psychological DEPTH" and adds:
Tho picture Is 30 weak IN ;ts structure
and IN spirit. indeed. 80 trivial IN all
its attributes. that n fairs far abort of
a work OF q man who possessed the
imagination combined with the mar
vsso1s versatility that have been cred
ite1 90 Leonardo"
Says Eupevss Asr~e win Hsn.
Among the experts who have seen the
painting and say it r. not an original. |
Sfv Joseph siiegs-. ere Raymond wyer. |
ffrorecS - the Worcester Art Museum |
INWARD w. Forhe~. director % the rocr
Art Museum ~ Harvard Prank Jewott /
Nssher. professor ~ art az Princeton
University; Dr. vsientincr. curator OF
p>troi' Ar Museum Charles Loc-er %
fIcr~ncs. itsiy. and seymour de Ricci
81 Paris
Ths srt dealer also names Dr. WILL |
isn Bc6s ~ Berlin sir Charles Holmes.
~ue Of shs xveate~t experts IN the world
~ 1~onar6o. of LONDON SIR Claude
rHfilip~I Joseph nesnach ~ par. and
Bernha-t B<rsnson of Flor-nce. all cf
whom are experts on ia vinci. a. men
~ho have seen Photographic copies of
ths psintins snd believe q is not rrnu-
fre
NJ niu<~c-~ sfforney 60 grs Hahn. 1
snncurced that. owinr 20 the length ~
tine fhe suit would occupy. a LONGER
line thar ~ hsd recksnsd. ie would he |
conupeiisd 20 Withdraw and had re-
slrsted wrA Hahn % wake q auhstitu- Il
tion. Mr. Rlnercss and Ms wife plan \
~ make t~o year trip around tho
wnrff
To. rsintinr rruh.hly WI be taken
- London. Paris Berlin. flervncc and 4
f.ome IN order that experts may see ~
The tirss of trial - the action g. indeh-