ONLY FOR POSTERITY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 129, 5 June 1929, Page 4

ONLY FOR POSTERITY

ARTIST WHO WON'T SHOW HIS PICTURES Though he is regarded by expert^ as a genius, a painter now in London has for. 50 years never allowed a single one .of his works to be seen by anyone but himself; '/ : . During that time he has painted over 60 Every one may be a. masterpiece. Yet" the world will have no opportunity -of judging till 50 years.after hjs death. The painter wh6\ is beqiieathing his work to posterity in this strange ,way is Mr. James ..Nikolai/ an Englishman of Bussian descent, who for thepast 30 years has been travelling the world searching for-subjects for his brush. He is now in liondon with the intention of attending the Boyal Academy Exhibition. In hia: will are instractions that SO years after his death an exhibition of his works is to be. held in London. He is now 65. MANTLE OF A MASTER. Mi. Nikolai eiplains the reason's, for his remarkable action. "When I was a young man," he said,. "I painted a picture which, made a number of eminent critics hail me as a genius. They said that the mantle of Botticelli had descended upon me. _ "Thoughi I considered my ne^k -picture was a distinct ■ advance ..in craftmanship and design, it was met with a storm of derision. ' Nobody understood .it. ' ..-'■ ';.; "I thereupon made the resolve that so long as I lived no one else would ever jeer at a picture of mine. I am a , ifealthy man and • have no need for money.'; I ;: have 'therefore gone on painting for my own. enjoyment, and not a bohl except myself has ever Been, toy work. "When I am dead the world of art can pass judgment on the work of the: past 3p,_years. It may decide that I have developed the genius the critics spoke 'about in my early days, or it may find that my work has no value. „"At any rate it will be of no further, interest to me. I have had the satisfaction of expressing myself fai these pictures, and that is all I have wanted. Let the world asgne about wsean wbtßa. J am gone.