New-York tribune., 1922-03-18
Works of Masters
Lack Famous Tag
I'm Art Exhibition
Portraits of Dignity and Ex-
cellent Copies Reveal Ex-
pert Selection of Collect
or, Who Remains Hidden
By Royal Cortissoz

The amateur who is interested in the
old masters but finds the "star" pic
ture inaccessible, philosophically turns
his attention to the things that may
not be famous but have their merits
tie will find it profitable to look at the
collection Of about $50 paintings now
at the American Art Galleries. All
that is said about their present owner
whose name is not given, is that he has
been gathering them together during
the last twenty years. The catalogue
is framed with discretion. 1t makes
no fervid claims for the school pieces
and copies in which the exhibition
abounds.
One attribution is puzzling, however
because it happens to be made with
reference to the best canvas in the lot
This is the "Portrait of an Astrono-
mer," which is listed as coming from
the studio of Rembrandt. 1t is prob
ably of Italian origin. In any case it
is superb portrait, full of dignity
and character. and we fancy that good
cleaning would reveal some particularly
handsome painting in the blacks. The
work is Characteristic of the show
There is great deal here which is
good, regardless of the historic source
Pieces Almost Heroic
The anonymous collector would seem
@n Lor hoI oc !,
tions, assembling some almost heroic
pieces. Two of the best of these are
the big martyrdoms ascribed to
Veronese (Nos. l47-148). They are
"said to be" the original studies for
frescoes i'll Venice, surmise which we
take leave to doubt; they have more
the character of old copies. But there
is no denying their sumptuosity. Over
and over again we. encounter things IN
the exhibition which almost but not
quite carry conviction and assert
| themselves, when all is said, as excel
cellent paintings. There is, for ex-
| ample, the stately "Apotheosis of the
Virgin" given to Moretto da Brescia
Surely some competent hand, versed in
the idiom of the period, produced this
fine picture, which, by the way, would
have even more to say for itself if it
were cleaned.
The Baldovinetti (No. 104), the
BotticelIian Virgin and Child" (No
| 6b), the est. John" and the Martyr
attributed to the school of Perugino
these and divers other examples main
tain the modest level which we have
| Indicated
Italian Paintings Many
Italian paintings are numerous. but
they are rivalled in bulk by the works
of the Low Countries, bits of Flemish
and Dutch genre, with here and there
religious motive brougnt in. One ot
the high lights in this latter category
is the Repentance" by Joost Var
Cleef, really beautiful specimen o1
ixteenth-century art. With it We
would associate the ''Portrait of I
Nobleman," by Christoph Amberger. Il
is not the masterpiece he was wont II
paint, but it is q creditable souvenir
Of Northern craftsmanship in hi
period. 1t is one more promising OBJ
ject for the amateur mentioned above
This and. say, the Virgin and Child
attributed to Gentle da Fabriano, tn
copy of Van Dyck's portrait of Henr
Liberti (No. 1881, the devotional in
terror with figures by Van Slingeland
(No. 80), or the two Italian views b,
Van Wittel (Nos. % and 80 are quie
but persuasive lures.
There is one peculiarly tantalizinI
canvas on the walls, the little cit,
view, with figures (No. 32), catalogue,
as a copy of Velasquez. 1t in nowis
suggests him, but it would be inter
esting to see it with its surface wei
tidied up. 1t might prove to be o
some consequence. The exhibition ha
more than one provocative episode o
the sort. The sale next Tuesday an'
Wednesday evenings ought to attrac
attention.