Evening star., 1924-11-09
GALLERY REFUSES
VALUED COLLECTION
Z
Holds Pictures of Famous
Art Critics Not Up to
Specifications.
BY Cable to The Star and New York World.
Copyright 1924.

By Gable to The Star and New York World.
Copyright, 1924.
LONDON. November S.-The whole
question of the advisa bility of at
tempting to bequeath whole picture
collections to so exclusive and dis
eliminating a body as the National
Gallery is being discussed as con-
sequence of the rejection by the
trustees of the gallery of an i'm
portant group of pictures bequeathed
by Sir Claude Phillips, art connois-
Seur and critic.
Sir Claude was one of the fore
most art critics of his time, a man
whose judgement was referred to in
matters of painting and sculpture
all over Europe Yet the National
Gallery has found that only two or
three of the fifteen pictures left by
him are up to National Gallery speci-
ncations. The legal question arises
whether the executors can offer these
pictures for consideration by the gall
lery trustees to the exclusion of the
dozen and more that fail to meet the
Sallery'S standards.
Upheld by Critics.
The action of the National Gallery
in declining Sir Claude Phillips be-
quest is upheld by Mumphry Ward,
loi oo years ART cT1t1c OF lne llTneS.
In spite of my admiration for the
knowledge and literary skill of the
late Sir Claude Phillips Mr.. Ward
declares. Il think the trustees of the
National Gallery are quite right in
refusing his bequest of pictures.
The collection is a scholars COL
lection, not such as is required for a
gallery of masterpieces, already over
crowded such as we possess
1.,,,y
remembered that. besides the pictures
exhibited. the National Gallery pos
sesses in its unvisted basement quite
800 pictures, all good and some very
fine. for which room cannot be found
upstairs. TestatorS should bear this
fact in mind"
The rejection of the Phillips be-
quest calls attention to the discussion
which has been continuous ever since
the Wertheimer bequeSt to the Ma
tional Gallery became available two
years ago. This is series of por-
traits, single and in groups, and in
many poses of the family of the late
Asher Wertheimer. Their installa-
tion in the National Gallery was
notable in that all of the canvasses
are from the brush of John s. Sar-
gent, the American painter, who is
the only living artist honored by
AieiNlho IIS " VI hS HuHS III the y.
They take their place along with the
works of Michael Angelo, Raphael,
Sir Joshua Reynolds and other old
masters.
Too Many of One Family.
While the British public appreciates
the honor to Sargent as perhaps the
worlds greatest living painter, it
wakes sarcastic at the number of
Wertheimers thus immortalized. Dis
cussing the general question of selec-
tIon of pictures for the great ma
tional collection. Mr.. Ward cannot
forbear to mention the Wertheimer
bequest in connection with the Phil
lips bequest.
Il would venture to suggest" saws
Mr- w ard. that it would be far bet
ter for testators to leave a power
OF choice to the trustees How much
more grateful we should be to the
memory of the late Asher Wertheime
II he had left it to the trustees to
select the three best of his Sargents
instead of forcing his whole family
upon the country.
IL may seem ungratefuI to look
glft horse in the mouth, but the
owner of fine stable must do so if
ne wishes to keep up its character"