Studio: international art (57.1913)

Recent Designs in Domestic Architecture

question has been raised as to the rights the Govern-
ment may have over the Layard Collection. I
cannot go into the matter at length here ; suffice it
to say that certain of the pictures have been released
from restriction, among which number are the two
Gentile Bellinis, the Carpaccio picture of St.
Ursula, the portrait by Luigi Yivarini, the Spring
by CosimoTura,the Sebastiano del Piombo,and one
by Giambellino. These pictures came to Italy from
England in 1875, and so the law does not impose
its noli me tangere upon these masterpieces which
have found a home at the Palazzo Cappello. An
ingenious opposition urged that the question should
be reopened in order to prove that the exportation
of these works in the first case was illegally effected
so that these pictures after returning again to Italy
may not find their final home in England, although
Sir Henry Layard’s will leaves no doubt as to his
intentions on this point. But this idea has not
found favour with our Ministry of Public Instruction,
which has decided to adhere to its former con-
clusion as to the rights of England in the matter,
As regards the other works which were not the
subject of any discussion, the law regarding their
exportation will be applied in very definite terms.
Personally, both as an Italian and as an artist, I am
all for liberty, and here, as I have elsewhere in my
books and writings, I would encourage the idea of
the most unrestricted indulgence from every point of
view. We possess quan-
tities of paintings by our
masters which might well
be exchanged with much
benefit to the variety of
our collections. For my-
self, I would willingly give
to England some of our
Bernardino Luinis or
Gaudenzio Ferraris, in ex-
change for some works by
Reynolds, Gainsborough,
or Turner, and many
artists and collectors are
of my way of thinking in
this matter. An idea is,
however, afloat which may
conciliate both Italy and
England; it is that Eng-
land—that is to say, the
National Gallery—should
enter into possession of
the collection at the
Palazzo Cappello, and for-
getting London and the

fogs of the Channel, should open a section of its
art treasures in the bright Italian sunlight—in brief,
that the Palazzo Cappello should become a depen-
dance of the National Gallery, a sort of English or
Anglo-Italian oasis in Venice for the numerous in-
tellectual colony of the biondi dgli d’Albione who
visit Venice and Italy. A. M.

Recent designs in domestic

ARCHITECTURE.

The country cottage, of which an illustra-
tion is given below, has been designed by Mr.
R. F. Johnston, architect, of London, and in
plan is exceedingly simple and convenient, the
accommodation consisting of a large living-room
and a parlour of comfortable dimensions on the