Evening star., 1942-08-21
Rare Art Treasures
Included in Widener's S
National Gallery Gift
Finley Soys Collection
To Be Exhibited Shortly
After Being Received
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
At least 1900 900 worth of paint
ings, works of sculpture, tapestries
and other beautiful and precious
treasures are to come to the people
of the United States on the payment
of State taxes not exceeding $685.
. 900.
This is the meaning OF the mes
sage sent TO Congress by President
Roosevelt yesterday concerning the
offer Of Joseph E. Widener of Phil
adelphia to the National Gallery
OF Art.
Under the laws of Pennsylvania,
a levy of per cent of the value of
the gift is imposed. Congress,
therefore, has been asked to ap-
propriate that amount in order that
the Nation may receive the collec-
ton brought together by Mr.. Wild
ener's father, the late Peter A. B.
Widener, a famous connoisseur, who
died in 1915, and himself.
Richest Property"
David E. Finley, director OF the
National Gallery, last night spoke
of the entire accumulation as "the
richest property of its kind In the
world"
Such gift" he said, has an
added significance at this time. Not
only does Mr. Widener make avail
able to every one who visits the
Nations Capital many Of the finest
works of art in existence, but has
done so at time when the inspira-
tion and enjoyment of great art are
more than ever needed by the peo-
pie Of this country"
Rooms adequate in number and
size to accommodate the collection
in association with gifts made pre-
viously by Andrew w. Mellon, Sam
uel H. Kress and others are avail
able. Within few weeks after the
pictures and statues have been
brought from Mr. Widener's home
at Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park,
Pa. they can be exhibited.
They will not be segregated but
rather interspersed among the
other exhibition galleries in such a
way as to illustrate the chronological
development of the various schools
Mr.. Finley said. Works of art
other than paintings and sculpture
will be installed in rooms on the
ground floor which have been
especially prepared for them
Includes 101 Pictures.
The collection includes 101 pic
lures. Among them are 'The Feast
of the Gods" by Giovanni Bellini,
finished by Titan; the so-called
Small Cowper" Madonna, by Ra-
phael; Venus and Adonis" and two
portraits of the Spilimbergo sisters
by Titan; "St. Martin and the Beg
gar" and THE Virgin with Santa
Inez and Santa Tecla" by Ell Greco;
Girl and Her Duenna" by Murillo;
. painted shield representing "The
Youthful David" by Andrea del
Castagno, rarest of the great Floren-
tine masters; panels by Benozzo
Gozzol, Lorenzo di Credi, Man
tegna, etc.
From the Northern schools of the
17th century, there are portraits Of
Machesa Elena Grimaldi, Marchesa
Paola Adorno and her son, and
others by Van Dyck; IA canvases by
Rembrandt, including The Mill"
regarded by some critics as lone
of the greatest landscapes in the
history of art" and two works from
the Youssoupoh collection; "A Wom-
an Weighing Gold" and "A Young
Girl with Flute" by Vermeer; and
examples of Rubens, Halls, Cuyp,
Potter, Ostade, de Hooch, Steen and
Hobbema.
Portraits by GainsbOrough.
Still additional paintings en-
braced in the gift have been listed
rs landscapes by Guardi and Cana
letto; portraits by Gainsborough,
Reynolds, Romney, Raeburn; works
of miscellaneous character by Turn
er, Constable, Corot, Renoir, Degas,
Manet, Puvis de Chavannes and
Whistler.
Mr.. Finley, discussing the statu-
ary offered by Mr.. Widener, de-
clared: The sculpture in the COL
lection, although less numerous
than the paintings, maintains the
same magnificent level of quality
Included is the David of the Casa
Martelli by Donatello and cele-
brated Cupid by the same master,
as we'll as distinguished examples of
the art of Desiderio da Settignano,
Rossellino and Luca della Robbia.
Later Italian Renaissance sculp-
ture is represented by famous por-
trait of Pietro Aretino by Jacopo
SanSovino and fine collection of
bronzes, including work by such
outstanding masters as Benvenuto
Cellini and Giovanni da Bologna"
French sculpture of the 18th cen
tury is exemplified by bust OF
Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de
Conde, by Coysevox; the Diana by
Jean-Louis Lemoyne and six por-
trait busts by Houdon.
Important objets dart pledged by
Mr.. Widener to the Gallery are cat
alOgued as chalice of the 18th
century believed to have belonged
to the famous Abbot Suger of st.
Denis, inventor of Gothic archi-
lecture; Limoges enamels, rock
crystals, Renaissance jewelry in set
tlngs attributed to Cellini, Majolica
ware from Italy and 1859 porcelains
from China; tapestries and furni-
ture from the 18th century to the
18th; and famous collection of