Forgotten, But Not Gone

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 March 1926, Page 11

Forgotten, But Not Gone

A queer story i s told of a picture by the celebrated French pain tor, Jacques Louis David, in connection with the centenary of his death. A Belgian family offered one of the State galleries the opportunity to buy wharf they called “the family portrait,” which they said was by David. But the “family” in the portrait consisted of only one old lady sitting in an armchair belonging to a- period much later than David’s and much too big for its purpose.

The authorities asked for an explanation, and the story they were told ->.s that the o'/d lady was originally .'rounded by a very ]arge family, 'but .at as each one of them offended her she 'had their figures painted out of the picture. When they had all disappeared tlhe picture looked so empty that the old lady had the chair enlarged. The authorities politely -expressed v their thanks for the explanation —hut did not buv the picture. But isomeone else did. and he had the newer paint carefully removed, layer by layer. And there, underneath, sure enough , was the numerous family, and the old fiidy in the midst of them in a chair of the right period and the right size—and all obviously the handiwork of the great David.