ART AND ARTISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 58

ART AND ARTISTS.

— A portrait of Mr Miindella, with an inscription leeci-cHug his services in promoting intermediate education in Wsles, has been presented to Bangor College by Mr W. Rathbone. N — The artist* dealt with in Mr Cosmo Monkhousc's "British Contemporary ArtiFts" are Mr G. F. Watts, Sir John Millpis, Lord Leighton, Sir E. Burns-Jones, Mr Orchardsen, Sir L. Alma-Tadema, and Sir E. J. Poynter. There ore many illustrations.

— Sir Ijawrenea Alma-Tadema was 64- years of age on the 6th of January. Few artists have so wide a popularity, and his skill in painting marble is unrivalled in his profession, while his knowledge of the manners and customs as well as the dress of the ancient Greeks and Romans makes his assistance always in request among the theatrical managers when they have to produce a play dealing with the eaiiier history of these tvic countr'es.

— Sir John Tenniel, the famotis Punch cartoonist, who is now 79 years of age, first began to contribute to Punch in 1&52, and pi nee then upwards of 2000 have appeared. This achievement id the more remarkable foy reason of its having been accomplished with the use oT one eye only, Sir John having lost tho sight of one eye early in life through an unt'oitunate accident during a fencing bout.

■ — Mr W. P. Frith, R.A., one of the oldest and most famous members of the artistic profession, celebrated his eighty-first birthday on January 9. His "Life at the Seaside," in 1854-, first attracted the notice of her Majesty the Queen, and four years after ho produced his more famous! "Derby Day," which gave him a prominent place in the affections of the piccurc-loving world, and led to his being selected to paint a picture of the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, which was exhibited in 1865. _ x — Paris will soon have an artistic memorial of the same kind as that which has been created in London by the dedication of Lord Leighton's house to the public. Gustave Moreau a little while ago bequeathed to the French nation his house in the Rue de la Rochefoucauld, with the large collection of his pictures that it contained. This house is being adapted to the purposes of an exhibition gallery, and will soon be opened to the public. Works by the ortist are to be found in many private collections ; but the pictuies and drawings in his house have been seen by few people, for visitors were rarely allowed to enter his studio.

— Theio is a story about the portrait of Mr Gladstone which now hangs in the hall of Christ Church which my fathsr was fond of telling, and is curious enough to find a place amongst his reminiscences of Mr Gladstone. It was suggested that Christ Chuie'i ought to possess a portrait of Mr Gladstone, to hang in the hall amongst the other illustrious sons of "the House" already there. My father entered warmly into the scheme, funds were collected, and a portrait was painted by Mr "Watte. It wJS. shown at the Gaudy in June, 1878, and hung in the hall west of the portrait of Mr Canning. The picture was not liked, and in May. 1879, the Dean (Dr Liddell) took it back to Mr Watts with a view to certain alterations. Mr Watts painted out the face, aifd asked Mr Gladstone to give him sittings at his studio for a fresh portrait. Mr Glad-tone refused, but said Mr Watte might come to Hawarden aud paint him there ! In the end the picture never came back to Christ Church, and Mr Watts returned the money. The task was then confided to Mr W. Richmond (now Sir W. Richmond). A portrait was painted, which was shown at the Grosvenor Gallery in May, 1882, but never came to Christ Church : it was described by Punch as '-'Mr Gladstone after Sweeping his own chimney, with a sootable expression" ! Sir William Richmond returned the money. Sir John Millais then undertook to do a portrait, and Mi- Gladstone sat to him — but Lord Rosebery secured the portrait. Mr Gladstone had said that it was the last time that he would sit ; but when he found that Lord Rosebery and not Christ Church had become the owner of the picture, and that Sir John' Millais proposed to send a replica to Oxford, he said he would sit once more for Christ Church. This portrait, therefore, which was hung in Christ Ciiurch Hall oil October 15, 1885, is the latent portrait painted of Mr Gladstone. — From "Reminiscences of Sir John Mowbray," in Blackwood's Magazine.