Evening star., 1943-10-26
Widener
Continued From First Page. J

FLORIDA. He owned a controlling
interest and was chairman of the
board of the Miami Jockey Club
which operates Hialeah.
One of the last and in MANY re-
spects the greatest activities of his
life was Mr.. Wideners gift of his
rare and valuable collection of
paintings and works of sculpture to
the National Gallery of Art. He
personally directed the preparation
of the transfer of title to the United
States Government and supervised
the removal of his treasures from
his home at Elkins Park to Wash
ington.
Rumors that Mr.. Widener in
tended to supplement the philan-
thropy of Andrew W. Mellon and
Samuel H. Kress were heard several
years before the gift actually was
announced. Mr.. Widener visited the
gallery on November 2, 1899, and it
became known at that time that he
had been elected a member of the
Board of Trustees.
Art Valued at 0,OOO, 900.
The paintings given included mas
terpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer
Titan, Bellini. Raphael, Van Dyck,
Hobbema, Cuyp, De Hooch, Gains
borough, Reynolds, Romney, Con-
stable, Turner and many other cele-
brated artists. A conservative ap-
praisal of the market worth of the
pictures was s5O0O0,OOO.
Characteristically, Mr.. Widener
surrounded his gifts to the gallery
with the flowers he loved. When
the paintings first we're exhibited on
December 20, 1912, he had the cor
rldors and courtyards Of the build
lngS filled with acacias and other
blossoming plants. Many of the
rareSt pieces" from his conserva-
tories at Elkins Park were contri-
buted to the Botanic Garden here.
Mr.. Widener inherited from his
father, p A. B Widener, street rail-
way promoter and capitalist, the
bulk of an estate the vastness of
which was never publicly made
known. But virtually the only busi-
ness in which he ever engaged was
in connection with the management
of the estate.
The art collection turned over to
him by his father was adjudged by
many experts as one of the world S
finest private congeries. He made
it even greater by spending lavishly
for paintings, tapestries, porcelains,
sculptures or anything else which
ranked high in the world of art.
internationally Famous.
Mr.. Widener's interest in art was
equaled by his devotion to the
horse. Because of his attention to
racing as a sport and the princely
way in which he maintained his
own stables and devoted his time
and attention to breeding and rae
ing, both in the United States and
abroad, he became one of the fore
most racing owners in the world.
He was elected to the New Yorl;
Jockey Club in 1909 and in 1926
became one of the stewards of the
club.
Extensive stud farms were main
tanned bv Mr.. Widener in Kentucky
and in France erd his horses raced
on all the noted tracks and in most
of the famous stake races of tbs
two contirentG.
He bought the estate in the blue
grass region of Kentucky once
owned by James Ben Ali Haggin oil
New York, added to it by purchases
at various times and built up there
one of the finest stud farms ir
America A white marble mansion
erected on the property by Mr.. Hag.
gin was razed by the new owner
after efforts to dispose Of it. includ-
ing an offer to give 1t as a children's
hospital. were unsuccessful.
Mr.. Widener also maintained ex.
tensive stables at his Elkins Park
estate and at Chantilly. France.
list of the horses which bore his
colors at various races read like g
glimpse in the Stud Book. Ear
Sande. greatest jockey of his gen.
Grafton. was in Mr.. Widener's en-
ploy at one time and carried his
colors to many victory.
But the turf was not all profit. Ir
1927 Mr.. Widener took an appeal or
income tax payments in which II
was revealed that racing had cost
him $500 900 in four years.
Among his famous horses were
Fair Play, Chance Shot, Osmand
Paramount, Brevity, Lizard, Haste
Socialist, Fair Wind, Altawood, fol
5 which he paid $40 1000; Paavo, Pron.