FAMOUS PAINTING ATTACKED

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 11

FAMOUS PAINTING ATTACKED

‘THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.’ Seeking to air a pension grievance, Alatthew Scully, of New Cut, Lambeth, waited until tho close of the afternoon service at St. Paul’s Cathedral, and then smashed the protecting glass panel of Mr Holman Hunt’s painting, ‘ The Light of the World,’ which was exhibited in New Zealand some years ago. He used a hammer, attached to umich was a label, “ Justice for the disabled.” A second blow was delivered, but before a third blow could be struck Air Victor G. Gibbs, of Alaida Vale, rushed up and restrained the man, who was taken into custody. Subsequently, at the Guildhall, Alderman Sir Alfred Bower publicly thanked Mr Gibbs for bis promptitude, which had preserved the actual painting from serious damage. Scully, it appears, is an old soldier, who served seven years in India before the war, was discharged with a pension of 2s 6d a day, rc-enlisted in 1915, and was then discharged on account of an old leg weakness. He was given hospital treatment, but then his pension ceased, though it had since been regranted as from July 1 last. He complained that he could not get his pension at Hounslow.