The New York herald., 1922-04-24
Art of Archduke
In Collection on
Exhibition Here
Inare Etchings and Books Re-
lating to Dance of Death
on View To-day.

Some OF the most important art ex-
jhibitions OF the season open to the pub
Tic to-day in the galleries of the Ameri-
<:an Art Association. These include the
I, are manuscripts and classic examples
Jof printing from the William c. Van
Antwerp library. the extraordinary
prints and books relating to the Dance
of DEATH" collected by Miss Susan
Minns of Boston: valuable tapestries
and objects Of art from the collection
Of the late Archduke Ludwig Victor
of Austria, and a collection of oil paint
ings. including twenty-eight examples
contributed by American artists and to
be sold for the benefit Of the New York
chapter of the American Red Cross.
The Van Antwerp manuscripts, which
are to be sold May I, are the most i'm
portant that the association has brought
forward this year. The list starts off
with Ave Caxtons. the first Caxton edi-
ton OF the Canterbury Tales" the Poly
chronicon," by Higden, the monk Of
Chester. the "Confessio Amantis,"
printed at Westminster September 2.
1883; the Game and Playe OF Cheese =
by Cessolis. and the "Eneydos'' of Vir-
gil. There is also copy Of the "Chron-
icles of England" by Wynken de Worde.
who worked with Caxton and afterward
became a great printer himself. this
being one of his first publications.
Another feature OF this library is the
illuminated manuscript copy Of the
"Froissart Chronicles" on vellum, made
in France. circa 1890. This is a splen-
did example Of fourteenth century min
iaturists art in fine condition. It was
made for Pierre de Fontenoy, a friend
of Charles vi. Of France and bears
hfe r.. Al..s, "a, IL:
book was owned by the first Earl of
Dorset and was subsequently given by
Lord Buckthurst to the great Lord
Burghley, the most powerful man in
the kingdom in Elizabeth's time. To
connosseurs no other textual manu-
script of the Chronicles has the inter-
est Of this one.
other Rare Books in List.
Other rare items in this library are
the Tasso that was presented by Car
dinal Mazarin to Queen Christina Of
Sweden, the Magma Charta, 1887: Will
itam Morris's illuminated thirteenth CEN
tury Bible on vellum Thomas AquinaS'
printed by Johann Mentelin: the "Gra-
tianus- -Dscretum," by Henry Eggestein
of strassburg. 1471; the Coverdalc Bible
in English. and Psalter. by Cornelius
Henrici.
The Dance of Death engravings
and volumes collected by Miss Minns
compromise over one thousand items.
The extent of the collection, however.
is not more amazing than its quality.
The nobility of a poet or an artist. some
critics claim. may be judged by his at
titude toward the subject of death, and
certainly in Miss Minns's collection there
Is much that touches the highest reaches
nf - IT,. -..sA
French etcher Of great distinction. AL
phonse Legros. was engrossed by this
theme. and achieved many plates that
illustrated the triumph Of death over
mortals; and a group by him in this
exhibition, will be found very astonish-
ing.
Miss Minns confesses that it is the
"Dance of Death" of Holbein. upon
which she founded her collection. and a
copy of this work Is undoubtedly the
star item in it. This is the rare first
edition in fine condition. With It are
seventy-eight Holbein items, and among
them are almost every known edition
of the Dance Of Death"
Holbein's Dance of Death followed
the tradition of the old medieval page
ants on the grewsome but improving
theme. which subsequently found their
way into mural decorations and many
a Book Of Hours Holbein, however.
is the most famous OF the artists who
have handled the topic. and Miss Minis,
accordingly, spared no pains to make
her Holbein series complete.
Many Beautiful Miniatures.
Among the "Horae." are many with
particularly beautiful miniatures. in
cluding a fine fifteenth century French
orly Inn, nd NJ ha mi
of that century bound by Derome. the
younger. There is also the "Emblemes''
by Georgette de Montenay from the Hoe
collection; La Dance des Aueugles"
by Michault; 1896 Savonarola; a
long series of bookplates the subjects
Of which touch upon mortality; and as
impressive collection of coins.
The engravings include the Legros
prints already mentioned, self-por-
trait by Lucas Van Leyden. who holds a
skull beneath his cloak: a series by
Andreas and Cornelis Troost. a rare
early Russian work; the Dance of
Death" by Felicien Reps; a fine I'm
preston OF abraham Franz" by Rem
brandt: series by Durer. including the
Goat of Arms, with Skull" and many
curious and decorative early carica-
lures.
The financial distress of the Austrian
State Is. OF course, the reason for the
appearance here Of the treasures OF the
Archduke Ludwig Victor's palace. When
the Archduke died in 1919 the heirs
placed the material in the hands of
Senior Sagasta. who lives in Madrid and
comes from a long line OF collectors. It
Is he who now sells IL in America, to-
gether with some items from his own
house.
The outstanding feature OF the COL
lection. no doubt. is the series OF hand
some tapestries. Among these is a
group OF five Gobelin silk hangings.
made after cartoons by Berain. that are
full of eighteenth century charm. The
colors In them have toned delightfully."-
and the designs are exceptionally
decorative There is an imposing
fifteenth century Gothic hanging with
certain figures from the Scriptures
such rs David, Holofernes, Lot and his
wife. and Daniel. and over them are
legends quantity woven into the fabric.
This tapestry hung for many genera
tions In the Cathedral of ST. Paul in
saragossa, Spain.
The textiles include some gorgeous
ecclesiastical vcstrnents. The ecclesi-
astical mantles OF embroidered velvet
and damask are as rare as possible In
color and texture. The tones of them
have taken on indescribabc richness.
and the color harmonies OF the varied
fabrics are worthy OF much study.
Among the chasubles arc some of
unique design.
In addition to the tapestried chairs
and ofas. the sumptuous carved and
inlaid cabinets and other items typical
of palaces. there are many smaller