MR MILLAIS'S PORTRAIT OF THE LATE LORD BEACONSFIELD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3148, 30 July 1881, Page 4

MR MILLAIS'S PORTRAIT OF THE LATE LORD BEACONSFIELD.

Lord Beaeonsneld's face was an exceedingly difficult one to depict, at any rate in his later life ; and his admirers will regard ifc as a happy chance that among the last Tisits he ever paid wore two or three to the etudio of an artist better fitted than perhaps any other painter now alive to catch upon canvas the likeness and expression of features ■wmcii were so easily turned to burlesque. How far Mr Millais has succeeded in his task the public is now able to judgo, the portrait- having been placed at the Academy by special command of the Queen —a command promptly obeyed, though no doubt at large pecuniary loss, by its first posses .-3, the Fine Art Society, who had arranged for its exhibition at their own galleries in New BoncTstreet. T t must be remembered, in connection with Mr Millais's success in this portrait, that he had special difficulties, beyond those inherent in the subject, w contend against, his distinguished sitter having been struck down by his fatal disease before the picture was complete. On Monday the 21st March, the day after his indisposition bpgan, he was to have given his third or fourth sitting at Palace Gate, Mr Millnis having promised to paint him in five seances of an hour each. On that morning, however. Lord Beaeonsfield said to Lord Barrington, "Write and tell Apelles I ctmnot sit to him to-clav." After that the prospect of further paintings from life became more and more distant ; and though Mr ill.iis palled several times at Curzonstreet to inquire aftfr the invalid, he had no opportunity of seeing him again, to make further notes for a work, which, like the same artist's portrait, of Mr Gladstone, will be a bit of contemporary history.—Magazine of Art.