Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26

five sixteenth century Flemish tapes
tries-three of which were designed
by Van Schoor and woven by Auwer.
These. lent by Mrs. Hugh Wallace,
represent Europa" "Fidelitas" and
"Magnificentia. The subjects Of the
two others, also from the Wallace COL
lection. are Anthony and Cleopatra,
Triumphant" and Caesar at Phar-
salia"
Valuable loans have been made also
by Mrs. Stuart Farrar Smith and Miss
Annie May Hegemann. From the
former have come five early fifteenth
century Flemish tapestries represent
ing The Redemption, supposed to
have been designed by Van Eyck to
whom the discovery of oil painting is
accredited, in one of which his por-
trait is said to occur. These undoubt-
eddy were for a church institution. Two
others, lent by Mrs. Smith, are Of
the Alteration of the Shepherds and
of the Wise Men, and are sixteenth
century Flemish, while still others
are of the same period, Italian. Among
loans made by Miss Hegemann are
large tapestries representing Joseph
Interpreting Pharoah's Dream
Italian in design-probably sixteenth
century; Moses and the Israelites,"
seventeenth century Flemish, besides
court Of Love" Verdure, probably
Venetian. and two small but very
charming GobelinS of Children Gar
dening.
A 100 years ago tapestries sold for
ridiculously small sums, but prices
have been steadily in the ascendent
until now they often bring, even at
auction, the equivalent of a kings
ransom. For a set of six French
fifteenth century tapestries, 1.-THE Hunt
of the Unicorn" presented by John
D. Rockefeller, jr., vast year to the
Metropolitan Museum Of Art, over
$1,100,000 was paid 10 years ago. And
1t is said that an even larger amount
was offered the late Senator Clark
for the Gothic Burgundian set now
In the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and
refused. For the later and more usual
specimens, which most frequently
come into the market. from two to
ten thousand are paid. This merely
emphasizes the generosity of the gifts
and leans to the Corcoran Gallery.
The word tapestry is often misused.
It means one and only one thing
textile woven by particular process
whereby the warp threads, always
horizontal when the completed work
is hung, are completely wrapt and
covered by the woof. Never can a
tapestry be produced by needle work
never by printing or painting. The
material used, as rule, is wool, aug
mented sometimes with. silk and gold
threads. The early weavers used q
simple palette" Of only is to 20 colors
and shades, whereas for some Of the
later-day tapestries over q thousand
tints have been used in q single piece.
The earlier are the better.
Tapestry weaving is still going on
but 1t has made no artistic advance
in at least 200 years-perhaps more.
Probably the most interesting recent
contribution was that made by and
under the inspiration Of William Nor
ris in England. Three tapestry works
have been set-up and for a time
operated successfully In this country
the Baumgarten works at William
bridge near New York, the Herter
looms In New York, and the Edge
water factory in New Jersey, only the
last Of which Is still active. From all
Of these excellent works have come.
IT SHOULD not be forgotten that the
: new exhibition ball Ia the Cor