ACQUISITIONS FROM THE FIGDOR COLLECTION Author(s): M. R. ROGERS Source: Bulletin of the City Art Museum of St.

Louis, Vol. 15, No. 4 (OCTOBER, 1930), pp. 6064 Published by: St. Louis Art Museum Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40714010 . Accessed: 06/06/2013 18:39
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Bulletinof the City Art Museum of St. Louis

ofform infinite and The seeming variety ACQUISITIONS FROM THE of an limits line has beenheldwithin FIGDOR COLLECTION theperception In thesedays of intense harmonious arrangement, competition tothepleasure one between ofwhich addsgreatly collectors and museums for the in thestatue. finds everdwindling offine number of works art which stated as tothe ancient Little canbedefinitely comeupon annually it is seldom of this Virginand Child. themarket, thatopportuniprovenance in thecollection ofEmilWau- tiesareafforded suchas were occasioned Formerly to havecome by theFigdor ofParis,it is known Sale in Vienna last sumters,1 from the mer.Dr. Albert after a lifetime century earlyin the present Figdor hadgathered oftheCityofMeaux.In this ofeffort what was Seminary together thefinest miles eastof perhaps of Gothicand which liessomethirty city, group a splendid cathe- Renaissance stands furniture there still thenin private Paris, but hands. a recent bookon thesubdral,begunin the twelfth century Hardly until twocenturies notcompleted later, ject but drewsomeof its illustrations In the from hiscollection to lackof funds. andit wasonlyafter due apparently and somereservations century, longnegotiation earlyyearsof the fourteenth the a generous Austrian Government however, bequestwas re- that permitted atpublic abroad ceivedfrom auction. d'Evreux, Jeanne Queenof ittobescattered wifeof King Franceand of Navarre, theMuseum was Byvery goodfortune after whichthe building at this saletwooutstandCharles, pro- abletoacquire It is interesting to note ingexamples ofthewoodworker's craft, gressed rapidly.2 left bothmost welcome thatthissamequeenhas elsewhere to thefine additions in the arts. groupalready in the Museum's evidenceof her interest collecof Saint Denis is tion.The moreimportant the treasures of theseacAmong is probably an admirablepolychromedwooden quisitions the monumental the date tablechest1 to tradistatueof the Virgin, which, bearing according oftheQueen tion, was presented as a gift to Isottada Rimini 1339andinscribed of white by hernotorious and another d'Evreux, husband, Jeanne Sigismondo notlongbefore inscribed and dated Malatesta, hisdeathin marble, similarly in Saint-Ger- 1468. is at present 1340,which These facts,combined In addition main-des-Pres.3 to being one of therelato a number ofstatues tively a reference4 with few authenticated perfectly pieces cen- offifteenth of thestyleof thelate fourteenth Italianfurniture excentury of tant, as a result thechest hastheaddedglamour of tury, probably decapitated of the cathedral the pillaging connection with ofthemost two by the intimate in 1562,tempt oneto specu- romantic, ifnotorious, ofthe characters Huguenots thatthisvery earlyItalian RenaissanceSpace does late uponthepossibility beenone of notpermit statuemayhaveoriginally evenan outline ofSigismoninthecathedral ofSaint Etienne those de do'sspectacular career as oneofthe great for will. mercenary ofthefifteenth cenMeaux, bythe Queen's provided captains hisrepeated desertions and recontury, M. WUERPEL. with ciliations successive Popes,his acas a humanist and poet, complishments 1Published Lees in theBurlington and his careeras a violentDon Juan byFrederic Maga1911. zine,August, which he disposed of twowives 2Porter,Arthur Kingsley. Medieval Architecture, during
p. 326. 3Andre Michel. Histoire de l'Art, LivreIV, pp. 719720. 4Mlle. Louise Pillon. Les Sculpteurs Francaisdu 13meSicle,p. 244. 1L. 78H", H. 38', W. 28'. Pub. P. Schubring, Cassoni, pl. CXXVIII and p. 351. P. Kristeller, Kunstund Kunsthandwerk, 1916,p. 149. F. Schottmller, Furniture oftheItalianRenaissance, 47.

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Bulletinof the City Art Museum of St. Louis

and numerous withfew less legal connections,nessof thehighwallspierced thebeautiful smallwindows was proband,it is and relatively finally marrying IsottadegliAtti,in ablyrelieved withbrightly colored said, accomplished taptheyear1456, or patterned when he was thirty-nine estries textiles. Thosewho ofhisexceedingly old.In spite years pro- have visitedthe Davanzati Palace in miscuous so Florence, to its origrestored recently temperament Sigismondo thefair of inalcondition, adored Isottathat theChurch will havea very goodidea San Francisco inRimini, for therebuild- ofthiskindofsetting. inItaly hehadengaged theservices Wellinto thefifteenth ingofwhich century ofthefamous be- and thesixteenth in theNorth LeonBattista Alberti, century camein effect a temple a the chestcontinued to herhonor, to be almostthe burst of paganism indomestic ofcasefurniture which showed scant only article forthe Christian of use. Chests ofsmallsize suchas are to sensibilities regard his contemporaries, but which resulted be seenin theMuseum's were collection in thecreation ofoneoftheearliest not- used as seats when not packed with ablemonuments oftheRenaissance. and valuBy theowners' clothing personal will inregency ables for transportation Malatesta's Isotta wasleft and storage. for hereldest of thepresent son.She did notlongsur- Chestsof theheight exbutin 1470fella victim ample were alsousedas tablesandsidevive,however, to poisonadministered supposedly by boards. Manyof thesecameas partof oneofMalatesta's thebride's sons. decoand wereoften illegitimate dowry The fine andmonumen- ratedwithpanelspainted workmanship by the foretal proportions ofthischest, orcassone, mostartists of thetimeas wellas with theoccurrence ofthe em- elaborate Malatesta arms Suchpieces andinlay. carving blazonedon the end consoles and the had specialcases intowhich theywere all pointto the placedwhen verycogent inscription undergoing transportation, truth of its traditional Ex- forfine furniture was notplentiful and ownership. a few minor on itis evident frequently theowners ceptfor repairs, accompanied thatlittle has beendonein thewayof their to supplythe needsof journeys in theway. restoration. The chestis practically ofthiscasitsoriginal from On examining theinterior condition, only suffering theravages thattime itsstructural base is a box andwearhavein- sonewe find ofplanks ofclose-grained flicted. Without theim- composed soft overstretching toit is easyfor us to woodofthelinden dovetailed therefore, agination, family a place gether On thisbase an this coffer at thecorners. picture huge occupying ofhonor walnutpaneling is laid as a marked bya lowplat- enriched probably form inthebedchamber oftheill-starred heavy veneer. The primitive chestform theonly as a skeleton other pair.Probably preserved important is, therefore, article offurniture in theroom with thenewer structural forms was the overlaid intouse withthedevelopwith or without then structure bed,a simple coming of thecabinetmaker's for craft. itsdecorative ef- ment This canopy, depending fectmainly ofstructure The bed method was apparently aduponrichcovers. to in Italy becauseof its greater itself was morethanlikely placedon a hered thestile theprojecting platform, flexibility longafter edgesofwhich decorative in theform were full oflowchests. and railconstruction had obtained arranged inthe In the North. the wallswereprobably other development interior Around ofa rather chests util- we find thesmallbox-like andmore simpler compartment itariancharacter at oneendis missing, but found and the furnishingsusually in thewoodshowits original by a fewstoolsandpossibly incisions completed one or twoX-shaped chairs. The bare- presence.
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Bulletin of the City Art Museum of St. Louis

thatthiscrown rather of thecassone The exterior is, seems significant design much orhonor used is a motif froman ofvictory of course,its chiefinterest Church of the in decoration the interior motif used is The artistic standpoint. full ofSan Francisco. with classic order thatofa complete frieze and archi- By andlarge that it must be conceded entablature, cornice, and consoles this Riminicassonein its severeyet travecrowning pilasters on a podium.The interveningsomewhat is naivearchitectural resting dignity withdelicate an outstanding are filled ofearly Renmonument however, panels, in- aissancewoodwork This is particularly Gothictracery. the height marking thede- of achievement sincein all probability at a timewhenthereteresting

(from the collection of dr. albert figdor, Vienna)

OAK CHEST, FLEMISH, XIV TO XV CENTURY

a firm weretaking mixed classic vivedclassicmotifs wasinfluenced bythe signer of holdon theItalianimagination. of theChurch and Gothiccharacter of theMuseum's The second whichwas thenunder San Francisco, acquisiis in from the the tions also and construction, FigdorCollection2 tendency by to the above,though, contrast of striking characteristic forms to retain earlier on the scoreof the consoles, in its way, especially This tracery, the region. an as important with stylistic are all covered and frieze development, pilasters Earlierin with andcolor, additionto the collection. andfinished gilding gesso a century, thismassive andthe origin ornament theraised byalmost being gilded the workof a blue.This scheme, oaken coffer colored represents background at theendofthefourcraftsman withthegolden browns Flemish in combination for a church or of the walnutinlay,mustwhenfresh teenth century, probably all thechests of now monastery. ofgreat a sense havegiven richness, Practically - and ofGothic middle mellowed design period by timeto verysubtlehar- this - havebeenfound in thelid is deco- few havesurvived On theoutside monies. of oak leaves ratedwitha largecrown 2L. 69', H. 26%W. 22". ribbons inlaidin withconventionalized Pub. H. Stegeman, KunstundKunsthandwerk, 1907, on walnut. the dark It woods p. 133. lighter
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Bulletin of the City Art Museum of St. Louis

Crown hispossesecclesiastical establishments whichaf- oftheFrench among to suchpieces sions.Whattheactualuse of thechest forded greater protection than ofsimilar form to say,since, as noted wasgiven those and was is impossible in contemporary above,a chestserved in a multitude of designundoubtedly secularuse. The inscription carvedin capacities in the medieval menage, for ofthis ofthem Gothic ex- though most letters across thefront as repositories and Ave Maria dominus gracia plena ample, plate, hangings, wearing apparel in ofmoney of its armor, lendscolorto the theory as wellas thestorage tecum^ the was ecclesiastical such was the before days banking in origin, though deposit oftheage thatit is nota positive common use. piety In spiteof their fewexmassiveness proof. of have surthese earlier chests runSave forthe traceried amples arcading fashion andthecorrosion below theinscription the vived andacross changing ning into endpanels, there is nofurther decorative of time.The corner postscoming withdampfloors first, ifweexcept ofthe contact treatment thecutting decayed butthedecoironreinforcements of thelid and cor- thenthebottoms, leaving to be preserved ners.Asidefrom theverygreatcharm ratedfronts by theenthe circumstances Under such of thissimple the interest and tiquary. carving, in befortunate is particularly valueofthepieceliesin itsrepresenta-Museum of a complete exthepossessor tionoftheearly form in use ap- coming Gothic in suchcomparatively untouched theearlier Middle ample parently throughout in fact, thepiece condition; of heavy andorignal it consists Ages.Structurally themost ancient into stout is unquestionably piece longitudinal tongued planking nowin theMuwoodwork corner which as feet. ofEuropean alsoserve uprights It is notimprobable In theearliest known thelid, seum'spossession. examples in that the chestwas painted ofbeing was instead attached originally by hinged, have but,ifso,they colors, reinforced simple ends, a few pivotsto the heavily no trace, since un- long a fastening to break difficult leaving disappeared, making less by destroying theentire structure. theoak nowbeingalmostblackowing coatsofoil andwax. or to successive The convenience ofiron straphinges M. R. ROGERS. of this haspscausedthe abandonment at of more the end the method primitive Meanwhile fourteenth century. improved A LANDSCAPE ATTRIBUTED ofcutting occasioned methods bytheinTO ANNIBALE CARRACCI inthefourteenth ofthesaw-mill vention in thelate sixteenth Italian final the made painting century developpossible intothree was divided ofstile with ment andrail structure schools, century panel and the the Mannerists of later twoof which, as used in the majority filling theinfluunder weredirectly tonote Eclectics, Gothic furniture. It is interesting ofthefifteenth masters that inthis theoriginal end enceofthegreat ancient chest A third theNaturalists, box is stillin place. The bottom now century. school, tradition andtaught this nailedto theunder against edgeof thesidesis rebelled enhanced realism a laterrestoration, chestsof an intensified by vioprobably werereally The Eclectics this date usuallyhavingthe bottom lentcontrast. to whoattempted a greater letintothesides, planking pro- a classofMannerists of thegreat thebestqualities combine tection against burglary. possible in their in masters Atsome carved fleurs-de-lis datethe canvases, and,because and uni- they insisted were eachspandrel of thearcading training uponthorough owner study,werefairly mutilated successful, though formly bysome possibly is trivial. oftheir work to haveornamental reminders much unwilling [64]

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