MYSTERY PAINTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23103, 30 July 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

MYSTERY PAINTING

PRESENT TO PRIEST may be an old master TWO ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE IT \n old painting;, left in romantic circumstances at the house ot a Catholic priest in Camberwell, London, and now believed to bo a Correggio, worth thousands of pounds, has become the centre of mysterious happening. AI read v two attempts have been made to remove it from the house oi a local artist to whom the priest sent it lor 10 Tlv? a *picture came into the possession of the priest. Canon 1). McCarthy, several weeks ago, when a man, carrying a parcel, entered the waiting room of his presbvterv behind the Church ot the Sacred Heart in Camberwoll ISow ltoacl. Canon McCarthy was engaged with another visitor at the time, and afl pr waiting for a while the man handed the parcel to a servant. . , . . He explained that it contained a painting which had fallen out of its frame on his own wall, and lie now thought it would look more suitable in the church. _ The painting is a portrait of St. J etor after his miraculous release from prison. He is seen wringing his hands in gratitude, tears rolling down his-'cheeks, and his wrists still scarred with the manacles. Mr. Carl Bregazzi. of Church Street, Camberwoll,"the artist to whom the task of renovation was assigned, immediately declared: "I am certain that this painting is the work of Antonio Alleggri, called Corroggio, tho famous early Italian old master who lived from 1-194 to 1534.

"I recognise the fare. It appears in several of Correggio\s studies in tin* National Gallery. There is no doubt that the same model sat for them all." •Soon after Mr. Bregazzi received the picture strangers visited his house on two occasions and told Mrs. Bregazzi that they had called to take the picture hack to the church. Hut Mrs. Bregazzi woidd not hand it over without authority.