Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-21
By ChorIes J. Yorbrouqh

Works by Cellini and Vermeer
and Maximilian's armor outdrew
the Redskins in Washington yes
terday.
These appeared to be the top
crowd-pleasers as throngs queued
through the tapestry and treasure
lined National Gallery of Art in
hushed admiration of the Viennese
art collection founded by the
Hapsburgs in Austria.
From the moment the gallery
opened through closing time last
night, 41,725 people passed
through the doors. The Red
skins had 30,148 at Griffith Sta
dium.
One of the costliest collections
ever brought in bulk to this coun-
try, it is from the Kunsthistor-
isches Museum in Vienna and is
here on loan from the Austrian
government.
Five years ago it was in a salt
mine, hidden by the NaZis and
found by the late Gen. Patton's
troops.
The exhibit was opened for in
vitational showing to Government
and diplomatic figures at 3 pm.
and to the general public at S.
BY $50 pm, $4,000 young and
old, rich and poor had gazed with
the eyes of the layman and the
connoisseur at works of art so
valuable that no actual price can
be placed on them.
The Viennese exhibit remains
here for public display through
Sunday. January % and then goes
ION tour" to New York, Chicago
and San Francisco. The Gallery
will be open on weekdays from 10
am. to 5 pm. and on Sundays
from 2 to 10 pm. III.
The opening day. crowd far,
surpassed the fewer than 10000
who saw the showing of German
masterpieces on March II. 1948.
The first Sunday showing drew
$4,000. During the to-day ex-
hibit, however, more than 1,000.-
600 persons visited the National
Gallery. sS ~@5 =
: Greater Crowds Expected II
Officials had little doubt that I
the Vienna collection would draw
more visitors. even though people |
came for miles to see the Ger
man exhibit last year because it
first was planned to return them
to Europe after exhibit here.
They were later shown in New
York and elsewhere.
Austrian Minister DR.. Ludwig
Kleinwaechter, speaking at al
luncheon at the home of Gallery
Director David E. Finley, lauded
Gen. Patton for his part in re-
covery of the art treasures from
the upper Austrian salt mines.
To Mr.. Finley, it was zone Of
the great days in the history Of the
National Gallery"
Pressed for the probable value
Of the Viennese treasure, Austrian
Curator Ernst H. Buschbeck shows
polite impotence. :,
Vermeer Painting Praised
Cellini's 9-pound gold salt celler,
one of the most popular items at
the opening yesterday as it stood
alone in its glass-enclosed case. Is
worth "$5,o00,0oo = - or 800
900, 1000"
Vermeer's artist in His Studio"
considered one Of. the worlds
finest masterpieces, held the row
ing crowds overtime. Andrew
Mellon once repeatedly offered
81 600, 900 for it. Even Hitler liked
it. A German family bought it
for 500 a century ago.
DR.. John Shapley, professor Of
art at Catholic University, de-
scribed the Vermeer work as hav-
ing almost legendary value and
Importance"
OF the Rubens display, he said,
Nothing of corresponding merit
and quality is to be seen in an
American collection"
To guard the collection the
Gallery increased its own force
from 80 to los men and brought
in nine military policemen from
the Sd Infantry Regiment.
Another treasure is Dionysio