Evening star., 1950-04-16
News Of Art and Artists
Wealth of Culture
Added to Gallery,
Thanks to Gifts
From Collection
By Florence S. Berrymon

The National Gallery's special
exhibition of recent acquisitions
of the Rosenwald collection. which
opened last Sunday. to remain on
view indefinitely, affords an op-
portunity for the public to see
some of the most interesting of
the latest accessions. It is not
possible to show all the new
things at this time.
The donors generosity has
more than doubled this collec-
ton since the original gift of
prints and drawings was made
to the gallery in 1943. It was
the fruit Of a quarter century of
discriminating acquisition. In his
foreword to the beautiful cata-
logue of the show Mr.. Rosenwald
says:
THE aim of this collection from
the beginning has been to secure
quality rather than quantity"
This aim is demonstrated in the
present selection. which also re-
veals the vitality and diversity of
the collection. 1t is not restricted
to masterpieces, nor does it en-
deavor to provide history Of the
graphic arts. 1t includes both
famous and little-known pictures.
Several years ago. the collec-
tion's earliest print was a col
ored wood cut of the 18th century;
there were no early drawings or
miniatures. Now the earliest
items are several centuries older.
Spon Of Three Centuries
In the first section of the cur
rent exhibition is a group of IL
Illuminated manuscript pages and
one drawing. ranging from Ro-
manesque to the Renaissance, a
span of more than three CEN
turies. The earliest item is an
italian miniature, Bible page
from the "First Book of Samuel"
dating from the 18th century.
The whole group of manuscript
pages is beautiful, glowing with
the jewel-like colors of the min
iatures and initial letters. But
two leaves are particularly note
worthy: The first page of a
commentary on the Apocalypse"
with the figures of st. John the
Evangelist and st. Bede; and a
Nativity" large Florentine
miniature of the 14th century. 1t
is unusual. said Elizabeth Mon
gan, curator of graphic arts, to
find a leaf of this age, in such
extraordinarily excellent condi-
ton, as fresh, apparently, as
when it was painted.
The earliest English miniature
is a figure of st. Augustine, sec
ond quarter of the 18th century,
a very rare and choice acquisi-
ton. Although small in size, it
is monumental in conception, and,
as Miss Mongan says, could easily
be imagined as a large wall dec
Grafton.
Also shown in Washington for
the first time is a superb group
OF old master drawings, formerly
In the Liecl1enstein collection at
Vaduz. The most important
single item in the lot is a beau
tiful Silverpoint representation of
"'The Death Of the Virgin" Franco
Flemish, C. 1390-1400. Miss Mon
gan made special trip to Europe
for Mr.. Rosenwald in 1948. to
secure this and other rare items
Ia total of 12).
In the second section are five
northern engravings and three
drawings before the time of Durer
One of the engravings is a charm
ing REST on the Flight Into
Egypt" by a mysterious German
master known only by his initials,
B. M" A great rarity among
the drawings is one attributed to
Hugo van der Goes of "St. George
and the Princess" and a dragon
as tame as a household pet.
Large Gothic Textile
Another outstanding object in
the present show is a large Gothic
printed textile with a composition
of The Marriage at Cana" orig
tnally made in the 'Tirol, C. 1400.
Commonplace at one time, very
few of these have survived. They
are important documents for the
early history of the wood cut in
Europe. ''The Marriage" was
printed from a number of separate
blocks and hand-painted in yel-
low and red.
The exhibition continues through
a set of Italian playing cards of
the 18th century, another once
common popular art; through 18th
century wood cuts, some in colors
(chiaroscuro); examples repre-
senting Lucas Cranach, versatile
Hans Baldung, Durer's greatest
pupil; the little-known Danube
school with superb impressions of
landscape etchings by Lautensack
and Hirschvogel. Jacopo del Bar