Evening star., 1924-01-26
REAL RUBENS FOUND
BENEATH POOR COPY
Painting Hanging on Art Gallery
Wall as Original Proves to
Be Enlargement.

Special Correspondence Of The Star and Phla.
delphia Public Ledger. Copyright, 10.i
MUNICH, December 20.-The Old
Pinakothek. one of the worlds most
famous art galleries. has discovered
new old master under its very roof
not forgotten in some attic or con-
cealed behind some secret panel, but
on it's own exhibition walls. But the
discovery of the new Rubens por-
trait of Helen Fourment and Child"
world-famous Rubens, or rather
attributed to Rubens," and cast a
glare OF ridieule on several genera
tions of critics who have praised and
discussed the latter picture as the
artists original of the same subject.
The original had been painted over
by an unknown eighteenth century
artist who enlarged Rubens canvas
to suit a space selected for 1t by
his royal master, and, while follow
ing Rubens general outlines, changed
details to suit his fancy.
"New, Paint Cracked.
Suspicion that the masterpiece had
been tampered with was first aroused
last year, when 1T was noticed that
cracks in the border did not extend
into the body of the picture. Close
nal had been enlarged and painted
over. The restoration was under
taken by Prof. Kinkelin, who has
succeeded in freeing the Rubens
from it's defiling impediments after
a year and half of painstaking ef-
fort.
The restored picture. which has
just been placed on view, is des-
tined to win far greater fame than
It's concealing counterpart. even apart
from the romantic interest excited by
the sensational rediscovery, which
causes great crowds to gather before
It all day long. For purposes of COM
parison it has been fianked on either
side by faithful copies of the picture
as 1t hung SO long on the walls.
AS is to be expected. the eighteenth
century tfnkerer comes off badly in
comparison with the real Rubens now
revealed. There are many differences
of external detail, but the great con-
trast lies in tone, color and treat
ment, which In the original reveal the
true masters hand at the first glance.
Beside the glowing, delicate coloring
of the real Rubens, the dull, dreary
shades of the other are today dead
and disappointing.
Critics Call Experts Fools.
Lay critics. struck by the superb
ority of the real masterpiece, contend
that the experts were fools to have
accepted Ln6 OtneT picture as a true
Rubens and wonder at the barbarity
of the Wtttelsbach ruler who for
trifiing reasons of personal fancy per-
mitted some pseudo-artist to take
such liberties with great work of
art.
In the picture as it hung so long
on the Pinakothek walls Helen Four
,nent is painted. thick k-necked. glar-
ing-eyed Pompadour. In the original
the eyes are soft. the head is well
poised on the graceful neck and the
whole attitude is more pleasing.
in this work in a different light than
that which served as his inspiration
for many other portraits of her.
This Is perhaps the emost beautiful
Of all. The artist, who never viewed
woman with any particular ideoiispl.
keems In it to have more nearly ap-
preached the spiritual aspect than in
any of his other pictures of women.
There is also a striking contrast in
the expression of the child in the two
wise, sophisticated infant was pre-
sented. In the original the child has
an air of open innocence, far removed,
however. from the sentimental treat
ment SO often accorded children.
Attempted improvements"
The general composition, too. of the
original was changed. Enlarging
SIElpS were duueu anu covered with
background, dissipating the intimate,
concentrated effect of Rnbens' COM
position. The "super-painter" under
took to improve the headdress of Nine.
Fourment and introduced many other
minor differences of detail.
Rubens painted the original picture
in 1885. At first it was a three-quar-
ter-1ength portrait. and Rubens him
self later enlarged 1t to full length
and made 1t show picture in the
Rarodue stvie. In 1898 1t was ac-
quired by Flector Max Emanuel of
Bavaria, distinguished royal patron
of art Between 1851 and 1851 the
picture was moved from the palace
at Nymphenburg, on the outskirts of
Munich, to Schleissheim.
Old inventories indicate that the
picture was enlarged about this
time--the unknown painter taking the
opportunity to Improve" It accord
Ing to hts own ideas.