PRICELESS OLD MASTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17361, 7 January 1920, Page 11

PRICELESS OLD MASTERS.

A MILLIONAIRE'S GIFT. A collection of paintings valued at several million dollars has been loft to the Citv of Philadelphia by Mr. Getrgfl W. Elkins, on e of its best-known financier* It includes a clause expressing the wish that no inventory or appraisement of 'he estate should be filed for public inspection. His art collection is left to the city on the condition that it be housed in a separate room in an art gallery erected and maintained by the city. If such an art gallery is not erected within five years from the time of this testator's death, the gift of pictures is to be revoked. The collection which the city will receive includes examples of the Dutch and Flenish schools, as well as the 10th century English painters, modern French and American masters. There are two por- i traits bv Rembrandt, two examples of Franz Hals, including " The ughing Child," and a marine landscape by Buys- J dael. said to be th e only one ever depicted bv to painter of wood'ards and waterfalls. There is also a Rubens and two Van Dvcks. Spanish schools are represented by Murillo, velasquez, the Barbizon school by examples of Millet, Corot, Daubipnv, and others. The English masters include Sir Joshua Reynolds, " Death of Dido," one of the few figure studies he ev»r oxecoted, and a beautiful Gainsborough, and works by Romney, Morland, and Constable.