Evening star., 1935-03-24

from which it passed to a Spanish
viceroy. the ducal house of Alba.
London banker and the Hermitage
collection, successfully. Mr.. Mellon
paid 81 ,l66 400 for it. and critics have
said that it was bargain, even at so
high price. The composition presents
the Holy Mother. the Infant Christ
and ST. John in an open field. and
there is a certain symbolism in the
action depicted. The baby saint is
offering the Sacred Child a toy cross
In the Niccolini conception more
human, less sorrowful version of the
Madonna theme is offered. The Virgin
is shown in a rose-red robe. blue
mantle and yellow-green undersleeveS
with the signature of Raphael en-
broidered on the hem of mantle, and
the Infant Is playful average" child.
George Nassau. third Earl Cowper,
purchased the painting in 1880, when
he was British Ambassador at the
Court of Tuscany, and Lady Des-
borough of Panshanger, Hertfordshire,
was its owner when Mr.. Mellon offered
S875, 900 for it through Lord Duveen.
Both pictures must be included in
any list of the very greatest art
treasures that have crossed the
Atlantic.
But Mr.. Mellon also is giving his
country two other Italian paintings
of exceptional celebrity-one by tt
ziano Vecellio, called Titan of Venice
0477?-l576), and one by Bernardino
r ,s,1, oF IIA7Eo 1Eo00l
The Titan canvas is the glorious
Toilet of Venus" for which the Soviet
authorities are reported to have asked
S660,000, q rich example of the Vene-
tian masters secular" phase-the
Goddess of Love with two cupidS, the
latter holding up mirror to nature"
But the Luini picture. it safely may
be propheSied, will be the most popu-
lar painting in the Italian depart
ment Of Mr.. Melons gallery. 1t is
known simply as Portrait OF
Lady," but probably is the beautiful
Laura, who Luini loved as Dante loved
Beatrice-in vain. The whole work.
is is plain to see. has been an act
of self f-sacrifice and devotion. Gazed
at, the figure veritably seems to
breathe, it is so perfect. The dress of
the girl is grey over white, and the
head covering is peculiar-round and
feecy. But it is the quiet, patient,
beautiful face with its Mona Lisa
smile that is the secret of the pictures
fascination. Surely it is one Of the
most memorable esthetic creations in
the world.
MR.. MELLON, however, has equally
49, notable pictures in the early
Flemish division of his collection.
Representing Jan van Eyck of Bruges
0380-144D, credited by many with
having been 'the inventor of oil paint
ing" he possesses a fine "Annuncia-
tion," acquired from the Hermitage at
a price said to have been $517,500.
Painted in 1434. it is product of the
matured talent Of its author, and has
the power to move the imagination,
which is the final test of all great
art. The spectator 'feels" the drama
Of the occasion depicted-the moment
of the beginning of the sublime
tragedy.
Van Eyck's successor in the Flemish
school was Roger van der Weyden of
Tournay U400?-146D, whose "Por-
trait of a Lady" Mr.. Mellon owns.
The subject 'is not beautiful. but she
has an air of great distinction"
dressed in "a dark robe with turned
over collar, opening at the throat" A
close fitting cap and long thin mus
lin veil provide the "highligfits" of
the composition, and the whole work
IS organized in triangular form, while
the magnificent modelling of the hands
proves the theory that the painter
originally was trained in sculpture.
Of the production of Van der
Weyden's pupil, Hans Memling of
Bruges C1430?-1494), there is the cele-
brated Madonna and Child With
Angels" bought by Mr.. Mellon from
the Duke of Anhalt's gallery. Like the
Van Eyck number, it is suffused with
Gothic atmosphere, but it also re-
fleets the painters experience in Italy.
The Virgin appears seated in throne
with a brocade drapery behind her
and an Eastern carpet under her feet.
In her hands she holds a book which
the Infant Christ also touches. To
one side kneels an angel with a violin
and an offering of an apple; to the
other is an angel playing q narrow
harp. The painting illustrates the
dawn of a new era In the esthetic
character Of Northern Europe-the
hour when the ideals Of lilly began