ART AND ARTISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 80

ART AND ARTISTS.

—In the May Pall Magazine Sir W. Richmond gives some interesting details as to his method im portrait painting. "My method," he eayt, "is to observe most closely every habit of expression, every movement of tho head, and the chape of tho hands. I may" a^ for 30 oi 40 sittings before I am content, and at each 6Jtting lam watching and remembering. Aa a rule, I never paint a portrait unless I am staying in the house, and then I am observing my subject always. I find the habit of carrying or moving the head ft great index. Then I take, notice of every line and mark in the face— for turely tfoere is never a line in a man's face which tiis own life lias not written there. I dig down into him, I get at the beet of him — the soul, the, consciousness, the moving force."

The Chantrey Bequest purchases for the year were discussed in th« Council room at Burlington House. One wonder* (says the Daily Ohxonicle) if »»y of ta.» trustees

gave a thought to the original intentions of Sir Francis Chantrey, who above all things meant to benefit, in a broad genee, his country's art. Ihe trustees ha\e spent on their own Academy the greater part of the large endowment — tens of thousands have alreadybeen spent — that was intended for all mamkind. They have bought thp:r ov\a pictures year by year, and their ether purchases have so far been confined to works exhibited afc Burlington House, as to establish a baseless supposition that Sir Francis made some limitation as to the scope of the selection. They could buy from the Paris Salon, if they pleased. But by all means, kt them buy first of all from their English fellow artists who are not among the exhibitors in Piccadilly. They bought no Burne-Jonee and! no Ro?«etti ; and among living artists, Mr Whistler is not the only ono whose work, wluoh they have ignored, hangs even in the Luxembourg. — The announcement that the King^has recently been giving sittings for a new portrait to Mr Emile Fuchs, who designed the present pelage stamps, is interesting from several points of view. There are few good portraits of his Majesty in existence. This wae very apparent at the exhibition held some years ago at the New k'allery, though there was shown the marvellous little portrait of the then Prince of Wales by Sebastien Lepage. Another French artist, Dcta-ll©, has don-a a very highly characteristic head of the Kimg. Mr Fuehs probably owe* his present commission in a meamire to tl c portrait which ho lately painted of the Marquis de Sove-ral, the Sovereign's intimate friend. There was lately exhibited a collection of royal medallions done by Mr Fuehs, including a modal commemorating the colonial tour of the Prince a.nd Princess of Wales. Mr Emile Fuchs is Austrian by birth, but of late years he has become to all intents and purposes an Englishman. Ho ie slight and dark, full of enthusiasm, and in some ways curiously like the famous portrait of Michael Angelo. He has x studio in the Marylebone dietnet, and is a tremendous worker, equally successful as a sculptor and as a. portrait painter. In 6pite of his youth ho has produced a very considerable amount of work. Our Royal* Family have shown him marked, favour, and the late Queen gave him many jonrmissiona, while to him waa confided the memorial of Prince Christian Victor.

THE KING'S MARINE PAINTER.

Commendatore de Martino is an Italian by birth, and prides himself not a. little on, the fact tliat no one, not even his wife, i» acquainted with his age. If you question, him >n the delicate point he replies in charmingly broken English, "Here am I before you. Why should you want to know how old I am? I paint, I walk, I eat, I digeet my food. It not that enough?" Commendatore de Martino majr be said to be the friond of kingß, for ho is intimate with almost every European sovereign. With King Edward he is an especial favourite, his Majesty rarely proceeding on a se» *_^vyago without taking his marine painter with him. Possessing a keen sense of humour, the oomaiondatore has few equals as a raconteur, while as a painter of the sea ho ie unrivalled. Hie lav© of the ocean is eueh that he declares that when he 19 on land lie is so out of his element that h* suffers from seasickness.

Commendatore do Martino has so many friends that he is obliged eometimeo, owing to the exigencies of his profession, to devise eehem.36 to keep them in check. If everyone who calls at his studio in St. John's Wood wvre to be allowed to enter, the painter would do obsolufcoly no work at all. But the King's marine painter is a man of resource. One day he was visited by an eminent diplomatic, when ho was engaged on an important canvas. "You paint as if I wcrei.'t here," taid the diplomatist, who, howevei , was co restless and talkative that Martino determined at length to get rid of him. Said the artist, without a. ghost of a smile, "Look here, my dear fellow, I am busy ; but that doesn't moan to say that you musn't come again. When, you next call Ting the bell three times, and then I shall know who you are.' 1 With these words he dismissed his visitor, who, calling frequently afterwards, was much puzzled why he could never pain admittance. The 'fact was that he followed Martino's instructions : but whenever Martino heard three tugs at the bell he knew better than to oocn the door. Thirty-five years ago Oommendatore de Martino went* to Rio do Janeiro to execute a number of commissions for the then Emperor of Brazil. He had as a studio an. immence saloon in the dockyard. This saloon was dilapidated, and the bottom of the dcor wa* four inches from the floor. Now the naval officers.' finding time hanging heavily on their hands, need, to drop into the 3tudio at all hours of t.ho day. and so hindered the Commendatore In his work that he re=olved to toko measures with a viow to putting an end to tire interruptions. He ira'le a careful slu<lvs l u<lv of the boots and plioeo of each hab.tual caller, the result being that when anyone r»mi> to the door, ho had only to look nncVmeath at the footgear to ascertain the identity of the wearer. It it was a man he did not want, he kept perfectly still until th- victor ho<\ departed. The plan .siicceedpd admirably, and eyor afterwards .he painter remained in undisturbed peace.