Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-08
PASQUAlE FARlNA
Art Works, Real and Otherwise

On Art Works, Real and Otherwise
THERE has been a tremendous increase
i In the interest felt in art matters in
this country with corresponding gain in
knowledge and appreciation of the masters.
according to- Prof. Pasqualc Farina. ono Of
the most distinguished authorities on the
subject in the United States.
"This increase in interest relating to all
matter artistic said Prof. Farina. has
been especially noticeable in the last ten or
twelve years. 1t has not been strictly con-
fined to appreciation. for there Is an ex.
cellent class Of young artists springing up
all over the country, and in this important
matter Philadelphia Is we'll in the fore
front. The younger generation of sculptors
however, is showing more real talent than
are the painters. not only in the execution
of their ideas, but in the boldness and Origi-
nality Of the ideas themselves.
Many New Art Museums
"Auother way in which this interest is
making itself apparent is in the great in
crease in the number of art museums. In
the western part Of the country they are
springing up almost like mushrooms and
some excellent ones have either been started
or arc in full existence. These are valuable
in teaching the worth of art things and In
showing people that 1t is essential that these
things should be part Of their lives, in
order that they shall reach their highest and
best development.
"Of course. with all this has come the
collector of arr works of all kinds. but es-
pecially Of paintings, and with collections
have come the real and the faxed master
pieces Great paintings command such
large sums that the material rewards have
led many dealers and paihers to counterfeit
the old masters more or less we'll in order
to sell these works at "a big figure. I'm.
fortunately this device has often proved
to be successful. and too late the collector
hot ho hoo snlI .p,oc ctor'
price for modern painting. Usually there
is little or no redress for the fraud and the
collector has to pocket his financial loss and
his chagrin at being deceived together.
Difficult to Detect
Detecting a spurious art masterpiece,
especially painting, is frequently a matter
of great difficulty and calls for expert
knowledge in all the details of painting.
The texture and age OF the canvas will not
often tell, because in skillfully executed
imitation an old canvas will frequently be
used with this very idea in mind. In this
case the former picture is painted over.
attempts to clean the canvas not often being
made. There are in the world many
thousands of canvases (which bear two or
even more pictures, as have found In my
restoration work.
"The infallible physical test is the nature
of the pigments used. The modern paints
| differ radically from those used by the old
| masters. and there is no possibility of de
| ceiving the expert In this matter. OF course
| the physical nature of the pigment does not
| say that the painting Is genuine Rem
! brandt, Murillo or other great master which
| it purports to be. but 1t will tell infallibly
as to the period when the painting was
| done.
''As to the genuineness. that is for the ex
pert, because all the details of the worl
which has made the master famous hay,
| TO be considered--the tones. the brush work
| the drawing and the thOusan nd other oIa,nont,
which make the work Of the particular mas
ter under consideration distinctive from al
others.
Qualities Of q Collector
"It not infrequcntly happens that n worl
of greater merit than the one on ton re
veais itself when two pictures have bee,
painted on the same canvas and the uDne
one Is taken off. l had a case of this sor
in restoring Il painting for II Philadelphi,
collector not so very long ago. The pictur
| had fallen and a small crack was reveale,
in the canvas. Upon examination, l fount
that there was painting under the unDe
one and strongly advised the collector I,
have the top one removed. In order TO SCI
what was underneath.
'The upper picture had been purchase,
by his father and he wanted coDy M n
This | carefully made for him. MS Ii wns
modern painting. and then proceeded to re
move the upper picture. Of course, didn
we were both delighted to find that the undo
painting was . beautiful piece OF work. q
: coa3idsrabIy higher artistie value than IN