The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-03


get his effect before the shadows
Change or before somebody or some
thing disturbs the mental impression
that prompted him to stop and paint
the scene.
Is there any way to determine the
antiquity of a painting or to positive
" identify the work of an old mas
ter2" This question is often asked by
amateur art collectors and lovers or
pictures.
To the query an absolutely affirma-
tive answer can be given. Both the
age of a painting and its claim TO pc
the work of some well known artist
can be positively proved or disproved:
This is accomplished thru chemical
and microscopic analysis me Insu-
tute Bandit of DavOs, Switzerland, IS
today adjudged the best place to have
such analyses made
E,xamination with a microscope re-
veals on the surfaces of old paintings
certain fungus groWths, or the remains
of such growths, which. derived their
sustenance from organic matter FOUND
in the paints of a certain period or
the pigments used by a particular
master. In old times a painter could
not buy his colors ready prepared as
they are bought today but each man
was Obliged to a great extent to pre-
pare his own. No doubt pupils OBJ
tanned recipes for paint making from
their masters, but nevertheless each
mans skill. judgment or experience led
him to modify the formula, to suit
himself. and this variation becoming
known to modern experts thru inves-
tigation and analysis, furnishes
strong basis for Identification of work.
Also every artist. both ancient and
modern, has his own peculiar way Of
laying on the paint. both as to brush
strokes and the thickness or thinness
of the pigment A copyist may be able
thru close study and care. to produce
a certain coarse imitation of a mas
ter's brush strokes and other Smal
peculiarities of his working, but ex-
animation with microscope reveals
minute individual chara cteristlcs In
every mans work that no other per-
son may hope to initiate. The minute
peculiarities of mans way of work
ing are as sure means of Identified
ton as are thumb prints in identifi-
cation of the man himself.
Experts have also learned to know
at different periods of the worlds
history. they have ascertained the
composition of these. thru careful
chemical analysis and microscopic
tor and connoisseur may do
great deal for himself in the way of
identifying the age and nationality of
pictures thru a study of the history
of the development of paper and can
vas making. and by observing on what
ent times drew or painted
Many of the best known art mu-
seums and galleries of Europe, con-
stantly consult the Bandit Institute
and rely on its findings.
What is declared to be one OF the
worlds art treasures, a beautiful pas
tel portrait of Marie Antoinette, I'M
fortunate wife of the unfortunate
French king Louix XVI, was pur-
chased for $40 by Grosvenor B. Clark
son. at an auction sale in New York,
a few weeks ago.
This portrait, the originality of
which Mr.. Clarkson has established
beyond doubt. was drawn in the year
1771 by Joseph Kratzinger. an Aus
trian artist. by desire of Marie An
toinette's mother, the great Austrian
Empress Maria Theresa. At that
time Marie was but fifteen years old.