ART TREASURES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19816, 2 January 1930, Page 11

ART TREASURES.

EXHIBITION IN LONDON. COLLECTION OF ITALIAN PICTURES. (1 KITED TRIMS ISSOCIA TIOK •• ST KLBOTMC utLtahAtH -torimoax,) LONTON. December 30. The collection of Italian pictures, which London owes primarily to the generous enthusiasm of Signor Mvimci--1 ■ in, opened at BuiTington House ml provides a most return kable (selection of art objects. The only tear is that the very pei tectum of the collect ion may deieat its own end*. Hie firat day's crowd was of such dimension that thousand* were turned away. those who were lucky enough to ranch the galleries had the greatest difficulty ii seeing the treasures. Every phase ot Renaissance painting, ir'om Du< cio thirteenth, to Tie polo, of the eighteenth century, wan represented. There was an astonishing series <d fifteenth and sixteenth century masterpieces displayed. Hanging in the central gallery is Giorgione's •''lempest," one of the most valuable pictures in the world, and insured for £300.000. Another feature is the wonderful series ol port rails ot Christ, and the Crucifixion The central gallery exhibits number 10(H), of which 3(H> are from famous British collections; the other* are from Italy, Europe, and America. Three Kings. George the Fifth, Gustavu* «>( Sweden, und Emanuel ol Italy, contributed lo the exhibition, (be profit* ©f whuh are likely to l>e n record. They will he divided between the British National Art collection fund and similar societies m Italy VANDYCK MASTERPIECE STOLEN. REMOVED FROM ITS FRAME. (Received January Ist, 9 p.m.) LONDON, January 1. A Van'dyck masterpi«ce, "Concert IVs Anges " valued at £20,000, which was dispatched « few days ago from Brussels to London and addressed lo Godfrey Phillips, art dealer, is missing. When the packing case was opened, it was disclosed that the picture had been completely cut out of the frame. The owner. Monsieur Bechbache. says that the picture was only insured for a quarter of its value. This recalls the former theft of another famous Vandyck at Courtrai in December, 1927, which wa* similarly cut from its frame. Later it waa sold to a Bruges hawker for four shillings. The thief was eventually sentenced to four yeaiif" imprisonment.