ART AND ARTISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 50

ART AND ARTISTS.

• . • It Is remarkable that tbe men who have* achieved the most entire and unequivocal success in modern painting — men like Gains' borough, Crome, Constable, Millet, Oorot— have been men of a aort of rostio nature and education, who bavo followed their own instincts without paying attention t* theories. •'. • Some time ago at a dinner in London a number of well known social epicures were extolling the many gifts of tbe late Lord Leigbton — his after-dinner oratory, his knowledge of language, and bis sculpture. „ Whistler listened for Borne time, but concluding that things were going too Leighton- • ways, at length ejaculated : " Paints, too, I believe." * . * Rasa Bonheur has jost finished a larga canvas representing a combat between two stallions. Bo6a Bonheur is now 74, has to wear glasses when she paints, and to remain standing, whioh, added to the foot that she' has grown stouter with tbe year?, renders labour at the easel very fatiguing. No further progress has been made on the gigantic picture which she began a Eoore or more years ago, representing horces treading out grain, and which is over syds high and as long in proportion. It has not been touohed for many a year, and will probably never b» finished. And yet 300,000fr awaits tbe artist; tbe moment she signs this canvas. ADVENXUHE OP THE REMBKANDT ETCHINC*, "OHBIST HEALIiNG THE SIOK." This famous woik iw more popularly known as the ." Hundred Guilder Piece," because tradition says that an impression was sold for thaG sum — rather less than £8 of oar money— during the artist's lifetime. This etching is probably tbe most famous in existence; and of tho "first state" only eight impressions are known to exist. At least six of these are in public collections, and two are in the Print Boom of tbe lirUith Museum. An original impression was offered for public sale in 1893, and as it was known to be the last that could come into the market, it realised the Urge ram of £1750. In the year 1799 the Rev. Clayton Hordaunt Qraoherodo, wbo died in that year, bequeathed bis library to the British Museum, including a large number vf etchings and drawings, whioh comprised Rembrandt etchings of the highest quality. The romantic story attached to the "Hundred Guilder" etching commenced with tbe year 1808. At that time permission to visit tbe Print Room of tbe museum was extremely diffLnlt to obtain. Just previous to that year, however, one Dighton, a caricaturist, who kept a fruit shop at Charing Cross, did obtain such permission by an order fiom no less a psrsonege than tbe Prince of Wales. At this time Mr Bsloe, tbe assistant librarian, was in charge of the Print Boom; and relying on the Prince's introduction, he neglected his duties by leaving the supposed student unattended in the department. Now, the latter availed himself of tbe opportunity to steal a large number of fiae prints — especially the Eembrandb etching. Some of these he offered for bhU to Messrs Woodburn, who were then the leading dealers in pictures tttid prints, and hnd their establishment in St. Martin's lave. Among the etchings offered by Dighton was the one ia qmstisn ; and having doubts of its origin, Mr Samuel Weodbum immediately took it to Great Russell street, to compare it with the original in the museum. Of course, he held that original in his hand, and on misting it from its place be presently discovered the robbery from certain imperfectly obliterated marks on the mounting of the impression, Wo^dburn at once communioated with tha trustees, who, as promptly, procured a search warrant and proceeded to Dighton's establishment, where they seized all the prints they could find, whether .belonging to the museum or not. Dighton himself was taken into custody, bu\ am»zirg as ibmay seem, it was subsequently ascertained that, as there were no marks upon the museum prints sufficient to establish their identity, no prosecution could be sustained, and Dighton was accordingly set at liberty, the prints only being retained— another Portland vase case, in fact. These exquisite Rpmbrandt etchings are known to collectors by tbe imprint of a palette and brusheo which D'ghton had coolly stamped upon thorn to maik them as bis own. Mr Beloe, tbe custodian of tbe print room, resigned his appointment in consequence of this affair, while Dightom himself fell into disgraoe and poverty, dying miserably some two or Jhree years afterwards. The man bud certainly bit upon an ingenious method of stealing the prints. Beneath his arm he brought his own portfolio, filled with blank paper, returning each time with a priceless lot of etchings. In 1817 Dibdin wrote about the incident, referring elegantly to the thief as a " bipedal serpent," and denouncirg bitterly his release from imprisonment, " to be set loose among otber print collectors without a hair of his head being touched." An indirect appeal was made to the various purchasers of the stolen treasures, and to the credit of most of them, be it said, they wera promptly returned -to the museum. — Strand Magazine.