Evening star., 1955-07-20

I
he now has died. He abandoned
his palatial home in Paris wher
the Germans invaded France
during World War II.
Health Was Poor
Riches failed to bring the Ar
menian mogul happiness. He
was in miserable health for al
least a quarter Of a century. A
heavy man. with a bald head
large square face, bushy gray
eyebrows and mustache, he car
ried his age well despite his
chronic stomach and liver all
ments.
In manner and carriage he was
severely polite. His son, Nubar,
acted as his secretary. A private
chef accompanied him on his
travels.
Most accounts of his career say
that he never visited the United
States, yet stories have been cir
Iculated from time to time indi-
eating that he had been on this
side of the Atlantic for a few
months on several occasions. His
investments were not limited to
loil or to the Old World.
Collected Paintings
What started MIR. Gulbenkian
collecting precious works of art
is unknown. BY 1884, howev8,
he was understood to have ac-
cumulated a large number of
paintings, engravings and prints,
as well as rare Egyptian statues
and other sculptured pieces.
Some of the last mentioned
treasures were lent to the Ma
tional Gallery here in 1948.
These were supplemented by the
loan of 20 of his most valuable
pictures in 1850. More than H.
900 people f1ocked to see the
paintings on the opening day of
their exhibition.
Six of the canvases once had
belonged to Nicholas II, last of
the Czars of Russia, and were
hung in the Hermitage Palace at
st. Petersburg. The Bolshevik
regime sold them to the Arme-
nian millionaire in 1929. He al
lowed them to be displayed at
the National Gallery in London
until 1949, when he allegedly
took offenSe at@a British tax
policy and reclaimed his prop
erty.
The list includes Dirk Bouts
"Annunciation" and Rembrandt's
"Old Man Seated" and "Pallas
Athena" Rubens' portrait of his
second wife, Helene Fourment,
and two of Hubert Roberts Ver-
sailles landscapes executed for
Louis XVI.
Other Pictures Displayed
Also lent to the National Gal
lery here are Mr.. Gulbenkian's
Cupid and Graces" by Boucher,
"Fete Galante" by Lancret, "Fete
at Rambouillet" by Fragonard,
Boy Blowing Bubbles" by Manet
and Mime. Monet" by Renoir.
Equally important pictures dis
played in Washington through
the generosity of the rich Ar
oil operator are: Carpac-
clos Virgin and Child with Do
nors." probably from the Balbi
collection of Genoa; Conegliano's
"Sacra Conversations: Van
Dyck's Portrait of a Man; CHR
landaio's Portrait of a Young
Woman; Frans Halls "Sara
HeSsix": Lawrence's Lady Eliza
beth Conyngham";; George ROM
ney's Miss Constable" and Ru-
bens' Flight Into Egypt"
There also are three Corots,
two Dagas, four Guards, two La
Tours. two Lepicies, two Monets,
two Matters, two Stefan Loch-
ners, one John Hoppner and one
Gainsborough on show here by
Mr.. Gulbenkians courtesy.
Originally, the whole collec-
ton was lent for only two years.
The term of local display was
prolonged indefinitely by action
of Congress exempting the pic
lures from Federal estate taxes
and District of Columbia estate
and personal property taxes.
Whether Mr.. Gulbenkian has
bequeathed his treasures to the
American people in the care of
the National Gallery will not be
xn0wY, until hiS uill iS f,lih1iclnd