HAN DBOO K OF THE B ENJ A M I N A LTM AN COLL ECT I ON I OL D WO MAN CUTT I N G H E R NA I LS By Remb randt T H E M E T R O P O L I T A N M U S E U M l‘ O F A R T HANDBOOK OF BENJAMIN ALTM COLLECTION N EW Y O R K N O V E M B E R M C M ' I V Tabl e of Conte nts PA G E LIST OF I LLUSTRATION S I NTRODUCTION HAN D BOO K GALLERY ON E Dutcb P a intings GALLERY Tw o P a intings of Va r i o us ’ Go l dsmitbs Wo rk Enamel s Crysta l s GALLERI ES TH REE AN D FOUR Chinese P o rce l a i ns Snufi Bo ttl es Lacquers GALLERY FIVE Scripture Rugs Tap estr i e s Fu rn iture Misce l l aneo us Objects 891 List of Il l ustrations Ol d Woman Cut t ing her Nail s By Rembrandt The Lady wi t h a Pink By Rembrandt The Man wi t h a Magnifying-Glass By Rembrandt An Ol d Woman i n an Arm-Chai r By Rembrandt Toilet o f Bathsheba after the Bath By R embrandt Young Gi rl Peeling an Apple By Nicol aes M aes The Merry Company By Frans Hal s Yonke r Ramp and his Sweet hea rt By Frans Hal s Philip I V o f Spain By Diego Vel a zque z Luca s van Uff el By A nthony Van Dyck Portrait o f a Man By Giorgione M argaret Wyatt , Lady Lee By Hans Hol be in the Yo unger v iii L I S T O F I L L U S T R A T I O N S Th e Holy Family By A ndrea M a ntegna The Last Communion of Saint J e rome By Bo tt icel l i ’ Borso d Est e By Cosimo Tura Portrait of a Man By Dirk Bou ts The Betrothal o f Sai nt Catheri ne By Hans M e ml i ng Portrait o f an Ol d Man By Hans Meml ing Triptych M l anese l ate teenth centur i , fif y o f d Cup gol and enamel , called the Ros pigl io si Coupe By Benvenuto Cel l ini Triptych o f Limoges Enamel By Na rdon P enicaud Candlesticks o f Rock Crystal and Silver Gilt German sixtee nth ce ntur , y Ta zz a o f Rock Crystal and E nameled Gold Ital ian s xtee nth centur , i y Portable Holy Water Stoup Ital an s xtee nth ce ntur i , i y Ewer of Smoke Color Rock Crystal German s xtee nth centur , i y Rose Water Vase o f Rock Crystal Ital an s xteenth ce ntur i , i y L I S T O F I L L U S T R A T I O N S ix FAC ING PAG E — Cylindrical Vase of Garniture No s . 1 5 ’ — Fam l l e No ire 1662 1 2 2 i , K ang H si ( 7 ) 1— Covered J ar o f Garniture Nos . 5 ’ — Fam l l e No re 1662 1 2 2 i i , K ang Hsi ( 7 ) — Covered j ar of Garni ture Nos . 1 5 ’ — Fam l l e No ire 1662 1 22 i , K ang H si ( 7 ) Y in . I Goddess Kuan , No 7 M ing Dynasty ( I 368 I64 3) Vases Famil l e aune j , ’ K ang H si ( I662— I 72 2 ) . 12 Hawthorn Vase , No ’ — Fam l l e Verte 1662 1 2 2 i , K ang H si ( 7 ) Plate ’ — Fam l l e Verte Hsi 1662 I 2 2 i , K ang ( 7 ) Bust of a Y oung Man By Hans Til man Riemenschne ider Charity By j acopo Sansovino The Madonna and Child By Luca del l a Ro bbia The Y oung Saint John Baptist By M ino da Fiesol e Peace By Al essandro Vittor i a Madonna and Child By A ntonio Ro ssel l ino Th e Bather By j ean A nto ine Houdon L I S T O F I L L U S T R A T I O N S FAC IN G P AC E 7 5 The I ntoxication of Wine B Cl aude M chel cal l ed Cl odio y i , n No . 86 Rug Centra l P ers an a bo ut 1 80 i , 5 No . 88 Silk Animal Rug Centra l P ers an l ast hal o six i , f f teenth century Part of a Rug , Flower and Trellis Design Ind an a bou t 1 80 i , 5 Prayer Rug with I nscription from the Koran North P ersian a bout 1 80 , 5 f . 80 o No Tapestry , Adoration the Magi Fl em sh earl s xteenth centu r i , y i y I nfant Christ Symbolizing His Sacri fic e Late Go th c end o teenth ce ntur i , f fif y No . 99 Cabinet Frenc h R enaissance Cabinet French Rena i ssance Table French Rena i ssance Chair En l sh l ate seventeenth centur g i , y T H E A L T M A N C O L L E C T I O N xi Introduction HE collection described in this Handbook was T bequeathed t o the M useum by Benjamin wh o Y Altman , died a t his home in New ork m o f 1 I . o n the seventh October, 9 3 Whether fro a o r pecuniary an educational standpoint , i t consti t ut e s the greatest gift ever made by an individual t o f o r o f the M useum , notable alike the wide range interest i t embraces and the uniformly high quality o f its contents in whatever branch o f art they rep resent . ’ t I t was M r . Altman s ambition t o leave o the people o f the city with which his success in life h ad fi f o r been identi ed , thei r perpetual use and enjoy o f o f o f ment , a collection works art the highest possible standard . With this end steadily in view he acquired the treasures through which he became o ne of the most famous collectors o f his day ; and the intelligence as well as the energy with which his ambition was fulfilled speak for themselves in f the result . I t is an assemblage o masterpieces such as would have been thought impossible a generation xii I N T R O D U C T I O N n o ne ago to bri g together in this country , and which from the nature of i ts material will be equally at t o tractive to the public and connoisseurs . o n 12 M r . Altman was born in this city j ul y , 18 0 o f o ne 4 . The story his life is a simple , and may be briefly summed up as that o f an unremitting devotion t o business from the time when he was l o n twelve years o l d until his death . During this g period he allowed himself but three real interrup 1 — o f tions t o his work . I n 888 89 he made a tour S the world , and his tay in Paris at the end of i t t o Y being curtailed by a call back New ork , he returned there for several months about a year later . In I 0 9 9 he again visited Europe , but the visit was no longer than an ordinary summer vacation . The se details are more than usually interesting because they show how slight was his acquaint ance with the masterpieces in the great foreign museums ; and as he was almost as unfamiliar with the public and private collections o f his own coun it o f try , is clear that his love for works art , and his desire to collect them , grew from a native instinct rather than from constant association o r a trained knowledge of the subject . He made no pretension to being a connoisseur , but he had to an exceptional degree a flair for fine quality , and i t was this which guided his collecting and made his collection what he left it . To be sure , he constantly sought the advice o f the experts in whom he had confidence in regard t o purchases which he proposed to make , and if they did not approve he would not buy , no matter I N T R O D U C T I O N xiii h o w much he personally liked the object . Some an times their disapproval followed actual purchase , in which case the object in question was heroi“cally withdrawn from what he called specifically his co l ” o f o r e lection , and either disposed placed elsewher . O e i n his house n the other hand , however, not ven an authority in whom he had the utmost confidence could persuade him t o buy a thing which he did not himse lf like , no matter what its importance was t o no t represented be , and thus his collection only o wn t o reflected his taste , but acquired a large extent the ha rmony and individuality which he claimed for it , and which made him wish to have i t kept together perpetually .