DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.802#0063
54 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE
Alexander Day, Do you mean by superior in sculpture, superior in execution, or superior in design? —I mean
—--------------with respect to the style and character of the workmanship, i
Do you mean as they conform more to general nature, and give a more exact imitation of it ?
— They conform more to what the artists call Sublimated Nature; not common nature, but nature
in its highest perfection.
Have you been a dealer in Marbles yourself? — No, I have not; I never bought an entire
statue, but any fragments that came in my way, merely for my own study and amusement.
Have you ever looked at Lord Elgin's Collection, with a view of estimating its money price ?
—No, never.
Have you purchased pictures of great known merit, for sale? — I have.
And you have met with a ready sale?—Yes, I have.
Have you long resided in Rome? — Between 30 and 40 years in Italy, but mostly in Rome.
Have you directed your attention, in the greater part of that time, to the Fine Arts in general ? —
Entirely.
Though not a dealer in Marbles, have you not been, in a considerable degree, conversant with
transactions of that nature during your residence there?—.Yes, naturally.
Can you form any opinion what price might have been asked for the Theseus at Rome, supposing
it to have been dug up at Hadrian's Villa, for instance?—In answer to that question, I can only say
in what price it may be esteemed, because no purchaser would be allowed to take such an example
of sculpture out of Rome; but I cannot take upon myself to put that estimation upon so fine an
object of art; it is not capable of pecuniary estimation, having no intrinsic value, but depending
on taste. '
Are you not the proprietor of the cast of one of the figures from the Monte Cavallo, which
is now exhibiting in the Mews? — I am.
Can you state to the Committee the prices at which any remarkable and well known statue has
been sold, or offered for sale? — Yes; the statue known by the name of the Barbarini Faun, has
lately been sold for the price of about .£.3000 sterling.
When was it sold?—About two years ago, to the agent of the Prince Royal of Bavaria: it was
not known, at the time of the purchase, for whom it was bought.
Were there any competitors for the purchase?—Yes; but as it was declared that the statue
should never go out of Rome, then it was relinquished by all except the agent of the Prince Royal of
Bavaria, who accepted it: after this the statue was arrested in the street, when they were removing it,
and is at present deposited in the Museum at Rome.
Have you any acquaintance with any of the persons who were competitors for the purchase?
—Yes, Torlonia, the banker at Rome, was one.
Do you know, if permission could have been obtained for the removal, whether as much or more
would have been given by any of the competitors?—I can only say, that the price which was paid was
considered very inadequate to its value.
How do you estimate the value of that statue, as compared with any of the statues in the Elgin
Collection?— I consider the Elgin Marbles as of a higher class.
How do you estimate it with the Theseus? — I consider it as very inferior.
Would the different state of the preservation compensate for that difference, in your opinion?
- , —The Faun itself is not perfect; the legs of it are restored in stucco; the hands also; the head and
torso are tolerably perfect. The statue was restored in my time, by Pacchetti.
As compared with the Ilissus, how do you estimate the value of the Faun ? — I consider the
Ilissus to be the superior statue by far.
Is not part of the Ilissus in very perfect preservation ?— Yes, the back particularly.
Alexander Day, Do you mean by superior in sculpture, superior in execution, or superior in design? —I mean
—--------------with respect to the style and character of the workmanship, i
Do you mean as they conform more to general nature, and give a more exact imitation of it ?
— They conform more to what the artists call Sublimated Nature; not common nature, but nature
in its highest perfection.
Have you been a dealer in Marbles yourself? — No, I have not; I never bought an entire
statue, but any fragments that came in my way, merely for my own study and amusement.
Have you ever looked at Lord Elgin's Collection, with a view of estimating its money price ?
—No, never.
Have you purchased pictures of great known merit, for sale? — I have.
And you have met with a ready sale?—Yes, I have.
Have you long resided in Rome? — Between 30 and 40 years in Italy, but mostly in Rome.
Have you directed your attention, in the greater part of that time, to the Fine Arts in general ? —
Entirely.
Though not a dealer in Marbles, have you not been, in a considerable degree, conversant with
transactions of that nature during your residence there?—.Yes, naturally.
Can you form any opinion what price might have been asked for the Theseus at Rome, supposing
it to have been dug up at Hadrian's Villa, for instance?—In answer to that question, I can only say
in what price it may be esteemed, because no purchaser would be allowed to take such an example
of sculpture out of Rome; but I cannot take upon myself to put that estimation upon so fine an
object of art; it is not capable of pecuniary estimation, having no intrinsic value, but depending
on taste. '
Are you not the proprietor of the cast of one of the figures from the Monte Cavallo, which
is now exhibiting in the Mews? — I am.
Can you state to the Committee the prices at which any remarkable and well known statue has
been sold, or offered for sale? — Yes; the statue known by the name of the Barbarini Faun, has
lately been sold for the price of about .£.3000 sterling.
When was it sold?—About two years ago, to the agent of the Prince Royal of Bavaria: it was
not known, at the time of the purchase, for whom it was bought.
Were there any competitors for the purchase?—Yes; but as it was declared that the statue
should never go out of Rome, then it was relinquished by all except the agent of the Prince Royal of
Bavaria, who accepted it: after this the statue was arrested in the street, when they were removing it,
and is at present deposited in the Museum at Rome.
Have you any acquaintance with any of the persons who were competitors for the purchase?
—Yes, Torlonia, the banker at Rome, was one.
Do you know, if permission could have been obtained for the removal, whether as much or more
would have been given by any of the competitors?—I can only say, that the price which was paid was
considered very inadequate to its value.
How do you estimate the value of that statue, as compared with any of the statues in the Elgin
Collection?— I consider the Elgin Marbles as of a higher class.
How do you estimate it with the Theseus? — I consider it as very inferior.
Would the different state of the preservation compensate for that difference, in your opinion?
- , —The Faun itself is not perfect; the legs of it are restored in stucco; the hands also; the head and
torso are tolerably perfect. The statue was restored in my time, by Pacchetti.
As compared with the Ilissus, how do you estimate the value of the Faun ? — I consider the
Ilissus to be the superior statue by far.
Is not part of the Ilissus in very perfect preservation ?— Yes, the back particularly.