oe. ee es SA PERS Wr ye aH Rul Ove ey na wy, Cesar eae) WAU am eae sey sa araee rapier Stet hig Seeker tes a 7a ; cae > ; ‘ ; ee ciate : His dons a ekees } { ee f 3 24s eo “hac has THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM LIBRARY a Pes anit Tes e B 7 ‘ ‘ re! ‘ : Ae Pe | ert » , "+ @ 7 > } j ‘ 4% Ane ¥ aa < i | 4 a0 > | a | a euEs we an x », : 7 : a 4 7 rie 7 - i35 , “ a \q at Pi bay ry f° =amey rT : x ' é "t . é ark ‘% eo! ‘ et Fat ACR Same Ty ‘ . i ” : tha \ 2 i ON FREE PUBLIC VIEW FROM 9 A.M. UNTIL 6 P.M. AT THE AMERICAN ART GALLERIES MADISON SQUARE SOUTH, NEW YORK BEGINNING SATURDAY, APRIE 3rp, 1920 AND CONTINUING UNTIL THE DAY OF THE SALE THE CELEBRATED EK. EYMONAUD COLLECTION FROM PARIS AND MR. VITALL BENGUIAT’S NOTEWORTHY COLLECTION OF REMARKABLE RUGS TO BE SOLD AT UNRESTRICTED PUBLIC SALE AT THE AMERICAN ART GALLERIES ON THE AFTERNOONS OF APRIL 8ru, 9rH AND 10TH AT 2.30 O’CLOCK AND IN THE GRAND BALLROOM OF THE-HOTEL PLAZA FIFTH AVENUE, 58TH TO 59TH STREET ON FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 9rn, 1920 BEGINNING PROMPTLY AT 8.30 O’?CLOCK ., + . Z : # s ‘ \ , +" hig a" y J ‘i Caos i ‘ * . ‘ CATALOGUE OF THE CELEBRATED COLLECTION OF SUMPTUOUS TEXTILES AND EMBROIDERIES FORMED BY MONSIEUR E. EYMONAUD PARIS f MR. VITALL BENGUIAT’S NOTEWORTHY COLLECTION OF REMARKABLE RUGS TO BE SOLD AT UNRESTRICTED PUBLIC SALE ON THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENING HEREIN STATED THE SALE TO BE CONDUCTED BY MR. THOMAS E. KIRBY AND HIS ASSISTANT, MR. OTTO BERNET, OF THE AMERICAN ART ASSOCIATION, Manacers MADISON SQUARE SOUTH, NEW YORK 1920 bi JL NI j i 4 cx :. THE AMERICAN ART ASSOCIATIO: PREFATORY NOTE THE EYMONAUD-BENGUIAT COLLECTION This pre-eminently noteworthy collection of sumptuous tex- tile fabrics, to be sold under the management of the American Art Association, was formed many years ago, and has been known for more than a decade within art circles of Europe, and during this time to a lesser extent within those of America. Today it would be impossible to assemble such superb specimens without a mone- tary outlay which would seem prohibitive, if the examples were found—and the most experienced of collectors would declare the impossibility of finding an equivalent assemblage. Without the two expert names—Eymonaud and Benguiat— names which in themselves represent expert knowledge—the col- lection would still speak for itself through its outstanding qual- ities of art, artisanship, beauty and historical interest. With these names of collector and owners, it stands forth authenticated by indefatigable searchers for the beautiful in art, and sincere and accomplished judges of the merits of the craftsmanship of past ages. | The beautiful fabrics were collected, in a devoted pursuit, by Monsieur EK. Eymonaud of Paris, and the collection had not for many a year seen the light of day until it was procured by the Messieurs Vitall and Léopold Benguiat—citizens of the world, in their connoisseurship—for the express purpose of bringing it to the United States for dispersal at public sale at the American Art Galleries, in this city. Velvets in it still bear the impress of em- broidery, lace or galloon patterns received during their long re- pose in chests. Probably not before in America, nor even in Europe, has the textile excellence of the Renaissance period been displayed in a manner so true and comprehensive, in a collection offered to the public, as in these brilliant examples of needle-point orphreys, of velvets and embroideries, resplendent with gold and silver threads and joyous silks—several of the pieces no doubt produced by the celebrated Florentines, Jacobus Cambi and Geri Lapi, who, how- ever, were certainly not alone in the execution of such works as are here exhibited, which baffle modern endeavor. The Gothic period is also represented, while various examples reveal the transi- tion from the Gothic to the Renaissance motivation. ‘We all know,” said an admirer of these fabrics and of this workmanship, “how in olden times the Princes of State and Church vied one with another in their richness of habit, in their impulses to magnificence and splendor ; and their attainments are visualized, realized again, in this superb needle-work, in conjunction with velvets which fascinate the beholder by their chromatic radiance.” The enthusiast turned to an altar frontal from the royal chapel of Philip II’s sixteenth century Escorial, at Madrid, de- signed by Pietro Torrigiano the Florentine, contemporary of Michelangelo (with whom traditionally Michelangelo had a memo- rable physical encounter), an altar frontal depicting the “Alle- gory of the Root and Stem of Jesse.” It is a remarkable com- position, with seventy-nine minute figures so particularly por- trayed that even under a magnifying glass their features stand forth individually expressive. | Gothic and Renaissance brocades from Venice, France and Spain add a sparkle to the more sedate velvets. Sixteenth and seventeenth century petit-point and point-d’Arras panels prove their enduring charm and include Tudor English work of skill and patience. The collection includes eighty important tapestries. Pro- fusion, grandeur and opportunity, in four-score productions of this most stately of the textile arts, from Gothic times to the six- teenth century, many of the tapestries with the woven marks of loom and weaver. Italian and Brussels tapestries, works of the Englishman Thomas Hickes, fabrics of ancient Paris, of the Gobelins, of Arras, of Beauvais, of Delft, of Enghien, Felletin and Aubusson, are here—some embellished with gold threads, others whose hues gold would not enrich. The subjects of the tapestries include **The Labors of Hercules,” “The Triumphs of Alexander,” “Cesar,” “Flora,” “Ceres,” “The Triumph of Religion,” “Faith- ful to the Church,” “Judas Maccabeus”—an unusual delineation of Old World pageantry—and two hangings from cartoons at- tributed to Raphael. Although VITALL BENGUIAT’S COLLECTION OF AN- CIENT CARPETS has been kept in seclusion, rumors of its treas- ures have long piqued the curiosity of other experts and collec- * tors. Now that a portion of it is publicly exposed for the first time, all incredulity will vanish, and the claims that the collection is equaled only by the collection of a few of the greatest museums will stand proved. For this exceptional group of rugs, which could be matched by no commercial collection in the world, has been surpassed in public sales rooms only by the Yerkes Collec- tion. It comprises an exceptionally wide range of authentic masterpieces. Superior examples of all the important early types are dis- played. From imperial Spain comes a group of characteristic weavings. Two brilliant carpets from Andalusia of the fifteenth century exhibit that combination of richness and force that dis- tinguish most of the decorative art of Spain, while the rare Salamanca carpet, with the blue and green wreaths on an old- rose field, displays a noble and majestic beauty, wrought out of the simplest elements. Here also are a pair of the mysterious and imposing Dragon Carpets, supposedly woven in eastern Armenia, from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century. The older of the two lacks little if anything of the antiquity of the famous Graf carpet in Berlin. The solemn grandeur, the powerful patterns and strong, deep colors of these pieces must arrest the attention of even the most unsophisticated observers. Imperial Turkey of the time of Soleiman the Magnificent and subsequent times is well represented by the brilliant and imposing Oushak carpets. Notable examples of Persia’s utmost achievements in textile arts are in abundance. The so-called Ispahans, the most famous of all carpets, which Stanford White once remarked were “the Alpha and Omega of a room,” are here displayed in almost unpre- cedented number. ‘The fame of these pieces long ago spread throughout the world. Akbar in India especially admired and treasured them, Rubens and Van Dyke repeatedly used them in their pictures; all competent critics in all lands and times have paid homage to their exceptional beauty. They bespeak the glory and dignity of the Augustan Age of Persian life. Then flourished great poets, then were built lovely palaces and fabulous gardens. The gardens are withered, the palaces desolate, the poetry inacessible ; but the glories of that time are eloquently repeated and preserved in these dignified carpets. Contemporary with the Ispahans, contrasting with them in nearly every way, yet competing with them in beauty, are the rare Damascus carpets, whose patterns borrowed from incised metal are reworked and adapted for textile decoration with a delicacy and charm unrivaled.