ART AND ARTISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 33

ART AND ARTISTS.

o The Emperor of Russia has purchased Siemiradzki's colossal picture of " Phryne in Eleusis," recently exhibited at St. Petersburg, for 70,000 roubles. Mrs S. Beckett, a widow of a millionaire, died at Torquay, England, recently, at the age of 73. By her death the British nation • obtains a small but valuable collection 6f paintings by great masteis. These works, sixin number, are valued at £60,000, and include " The Drinking Boy," by Murillo ; " Polly Fenton," by Hogarth, and examples of Rubens, Ruysdael, Greuze, and Cuyp. The writer of " Wayside Whispers " in the Eastern Mercury recounts the purchase by Mr Edgar, of Leytonstone, of a water colour in a back street in Whitechapel, for the sum of ss, which now, it is said, turns out to be the work of Meissonier, aud is valued at about £5000. A short time ago, fche same gentleman paid 4s 6d for a sepia* drawing entitled " Quixote doing Penance," the price of which is now some 80gs. Clearly bargains are still to be had by the luoky and persevering collector. " KNEW SOMETHING " ABOUT ART. In the Parnell Commission Court the other day a youth was engaged in making some sketches for an illustrated paper, and behind him stood a burly gentleman, who might have been taken for a county magistrate. The latter watched the young artist for a while, and then, touching him on the shoulder, ventured to observe that this and that and the other points of the sketch were not exactly what they should be. The artist simply replied by inquiring, "What do you know about it 1 " The gentleman persisted in kindly and persuasive criticism. At length the youth, convinced that, after all, the criticism was just— indeed the gentleman had himself taken the drawing book and made the necessary alterations with his own, hand — remarked, " "Well, you do seem to know something about it, certainly," "Are you on any paper?" "No," " answered the gentleman, "I am not on any paper, but I do a bit of painting now and then. My name is John Millais."

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