Evening star., 1937-08-27

est masters, and includes many paint
ings, any one of which would make
gallery famous. There are three
Raphaels, three Vermeers, eight Rem
brandts, four Botticellis, two Masac-
clos, Cimabue, Fra Angelica.
Perugino, three Titians, and paintings
by Giovanni Bellini, Antonella da
Messina, Velasquez, Goya, Ell Greco,
Jan van Eyck, Petrus Christus, Men,
ling, Pogier van der Weyden, Rubens,
Van Dyke, Durer, Holbein, Lancret,
Gainsborough, Reynolds, Romney,
Raeburn, Turner, Constable. and Gil
bert Stuart, and others. Among sculp-
tors there are works by Donatello,
Verrochio, Desiderio da Settignano,
Luca della Robbia, Mino da Fiesole,
Sansovino, Giovanni da Bologna, and
others.
Hoped for Other Gifts.
Mr.. Mellon modestly described the
collection as the nucleus" of what he
hoped would become a great national
collection. He stipulated that the
gallery should not bear his name, be-
cause he wished it to belong to all the
people and hoped, as such. it would
receive gifts from other American col
lectors, so that in time Washington
would rank with London, Paris. Berlin,
Rome and Florence as one OF the great
art centers of the world.
Mr.. Mellon has made arrangements
so that the gallery will 60 forward
without delay. 1t is expected that
the building and equipment will cost
upward to $4,000 900 and Mr. Mellon
has also provided an endowment of
S5.000,000 for salaries Of certain ad
ministrative officials and future art
acquisitions.
During the last year Mr.. Mellon
has made notable additions to the
collection, buying the celebrated
Dreyfuss collection of Renaissance
sculpture, as well as many paintings
Of the first rank. His final purchase,
made in May just before he left Wash
ington for the last time, included
Duccio's Nativity" Mantegna's st.
Jerome" Bellini's Flight Into Egypt"
Masolino's 'Annunciation" and Dona-
tello's great statue Of the Madonna
and Child" from the Goldman COL
lection.
Mr.. Mellon had planned to start the
gallery Immediately on his return from
England as Ambassador in the Spring
Of 1888. He was forced to defer it,
however. until the hearings on his tax
case before the Board Of Tax Appeals
ne1,,lAI kY,t u-h hnt
done he did not allow any feeling Of
resentment to defect him from his
purpose.
Wealth Problematical
One gauge of his personal fortune
was furnished by the Democratic
administration attacks on his in
come tax returns. The Tax Board
case revealed that he had filed
q return showing a gross income OF
$40 800, ,485 in 1881, but the Govern
ment claimed this total should have
been $13,482 $50. He paid a tax OF
$647 ,559, the return showing a net in
come Of sl,927,ll6 with capital losses
on stock sales OF more than Sc 500 900
and gifts and charitable contributions
of s3,821,l78. The Government dis
puted these items and claimed an
additional tax Of $2,050,068 plus so
per cent OF that amount as penalty.
The case is still undecided although
submitted in June of last year.
The task Of building up and man.
aging the huge fortune which these
flgures mirrored gave Mellon little
time for interests outside his office.
He was As years old before he married
and he was Sc when he entered the
cabinet He found relaxation in a
little golf, an occasional horseback
ride and by walking to and from his
work
His marriage was contracted to Nora
McMullen at Hartford. England, Sep
tember II, 1900. A daughter Ailsa,
and son, Paul, who married Mary
Conover Brown. were born to them
The union ended in divorce in 1910,
the children remaining with their
father.
Became Senior Partner.
Andrew Mellon, upon his fathers
retirement from business in 1887, be-
came senior partner Of ct. Mellon IL