834 LUIGI PALMA DI CESNOLA. 



excavation as they were developed by later excavators, has elicited 

 criticism as bitter as it is unjust; that his records are incomplete and 

 apparently sometimes inaccurate, is a just criticism on his work; 

 that he was a most skillful excavator and a successful pioneer in 

 bringing to the attention both of scholars and of the general public 

 a vast mass of material illustrating ancient art in Cyprus, remains 

 unquestioned. Of the charges brought against him by M. Gaston L, 

 Feuardent and others in 1880-1882 that many of the antiquities were 

 "faked," falsely restored, etc., it is enough to say that the}' were not 

 substantiated. Recent careful examination of the objects in New 

 York by trained scholars has revealed no trace of falsification. The 

 great collection purchased for New York in 1872 is still the glory 

 of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 



In his work as Director of this Museum General di Cesnola showed 

 the same qualities of leadership that appeared in his work as excavator 

 and collector. To blame him for not making the museum a great 

 factor in popular education is, again, to judge him by the standards 

 of a later age. The organizing genius that directed the work of the 

 institution for nearly thirty years, built up its collections, arranged 

 its exhibitions, and laid the foundation for its recent growth has won 

 the respect and admiration of all who are familiar with what Cesnola 

 accomplished there. He was a successful pioneer in this field, as 

 in the field of Cypriote antiquities. 



In the minute of the trustees of the Metropolitan Museum on the 

 occasion of his death, the following estimate of his work is given: 



"His fidelity, his minute attention to his duties and his capacity 

 for work during his long career of service, merit great praise. Other 

 distinctions and other interests in life, if not forgotten, were perma- 

 nently laid aside, and the welfare and growth of the Museum became 

 his single interest and absorbing occupation. His military training, 

 when joined to liis public experience, gave him distinguished powers 

 of administration; and, wliile critics are never wanting, his capacity 

 to administer the Museum and adequately to exhibit its contents has 

 not been questioned." 



Arthur Fairbanks. 



