Evening star., 1940-11-17

this work Is essentially modern,
though tinged by classical tradition,
and painted, it should be remem-
bered, when Bellini was 70 years old.
The lower part of the canvas shows
the group Of feasters, the upper part
Is given over to trees and sky which
provide shelter and setting, but the
two come together in perfect and
unbroken harmony. From this can
vas there is much for students to
learn, and in it for all an endless
source of enjoyment.
Van Dyck Room.
The Van Dyck room is next in Or
der. Here are six imposing can
vases belonging to the period when
this young Flemish artist was paint
ing in Genoa after his study with
Rubens and his travels in other parts
of Italy. He was then at his height.
On opposite walls in this gallery, es-
pecially rich in its furnishings and
sculpture of the Italian Renaissance,
hang the full-length portrait of the
Marchesa Elena Grimaldi, wife Of
Marchese Nicola Cattaneo, with a
black boy holding bright red para
sol over her head, and that of
Marchesa Brignole-Sala with her
young son standing by her side. On
either side of the former are to be
seen single portraits of the great
lady's little son and daughter, while
fanking the latter are portraits of
''The Perfect Raphael Racius" and
Giovanni Vincenzo Imperiale, +"
one-time senator in Genoa and for
some time commander of'the Geno-
ese navy.
With the very splendid paintings
worthy of placement in the great
Genoese palaces Of the era in
which they were painted. are also
two portraits by Titan, painted as a
pair in memory of one who has died
an untimely death at the age of 10.
Symbols of the sad occurrence are
introduced in each.
Over the high mantel in this room
hangs portrait of the founder of
the collection, P. A. B. Widener, in
memory of whom the gift to the Ma
ton will be made by his son. This
Is the work of John Singer Sargent,
and in the midst of the masterpieces
of tie past holds its own surpris-
ingly well, to the distinguished
painters everlasting credit, and the
satisfaction of his still many ad-
mirerS.
Cowper Madonna.
The last Of the galleries in the
main tier is called the Raphael
Room as tribute to the small ver-
sion Of the lovely Cowper Madonna
hung therein. With this are to be
seen paintings which transport one,
as by the rubbing of lamp or sum-
moning Of a genie. to Italy in the
glorious days of the Renaissance.
Here is a portrait by an unknown
but very gifted painter Of the Cour-
tier, Baldassare Castiglione, with
his flowing beard and gracious mien:
also one, in profile, by Da Predis,
of Blanca Maria Sforza, daughter of
the Duke of Milan, whose marriage
to the Emperor Macmillan is so well
described in Julia Cartwright's
biography Of Beatrice d'Este, to-
gether with SELF Portrait" by Di
Credi and a lovely one of an un-
known faxen-haired lady by Neroc-
clio, who inscribed upon the work his
conviction that as a mortal, pitting
his art against the gods, he was
doomed to failure, regardless of won-
drous dexterity marking the sum-
nit of human achievement. These
are not all, but of only one other in
this group will space allow mention.
That Is the so-called Portrait of
Titian's Schoolmaster," by Moroni,
who better than most knew how to
delineate character and paint hands
which confirmed that seen in the
face.
There are in this superb collection
two paintings by artists of the mod
ern school, both French, which will,
1t Is understood, be included in the
National Gallery gift, and, happily.
as without question they take their
place in each instance with the
world masterpieces. Incidentally,
they are the first of this school to
find their way into the National
Gallery's lists. One is The Dead
Toreador," by Manet; the other
''The Dancer" by Renoir. These at
present hang in the Gallery hall.
The one is very strong, and shows
most skillful craftsmanship, as well
as handling of perspective; the other
is very subtle and suggestive, lovely
in color and in the way the paint is
laid on-a work which more prop
erly than most can be described as
not merely delightful, but delicious.
So short a survey as this must
leave much unsaid, but may at least
give a foretaste of the value Of the
gift and what eventually it will
mean not only to us, who are fortu-
nate enough to live In Washington,
but all others of our Nation.
It must have been . great tempta-
ton to Mr.. Widener to endow the
collection as 1t now stands and keep
| it beneath its present roof and in the
setting so admirably designed for 1t
Is Z unit. For 50 doing he had
ample precedent in the Wallace
collection, London; the Gardner
collection, Boston; the Frick and
Bache collections, New York. But
he has wisely realized that the place
Of the private gallery Is approaching
an end, II for no other reason thar
that In . changing world nothing
can be static and retain life and Nfe-
! giving interest. Therefore be hal