AUSTIN SPARE'S WEIRD PICTURES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 77

AUSTIN SPARE'S WEIRD PICTURES.

Thers is just now being exhibited at tha Bruton Galleries a collection of drawing! and paintings of extraordinary interest." Their fascination lies in their remarkable originality, weirdness, and gloomy beauty, each picture showing those rugged, rich effects only attained by the old masters. And yet they are the work of a youth, Austin Spare, who two years ago, at the age of sixteen, won the distinction of being the youngest exhibitor at the Royal Academy. Austin is. the son of a retired constable, and, although his parents are very matter-of-fact people, he has showed artistio genius from childhood. At 14 he won a . £10 scholarship, followed by one for £60. Tcp of his drawings were exhibited at tha St. Louis Exhibition, while another was selected for inclusion in the British art section at the Paris Ehibition. All the drawings are signed "O. N. E.," and there is a peculiar reason for this. One day Austin picked up a queer golden ornament. It was shaped as a death's head set in th« wings of a butterfly. The eyes, nose, and mouth were sefr with opals so placed as to spell the word,"O. N. E."" The same--night Austin Spare, dreamed that good fortune would come to him as long as ha treasured his "find. 1 ' He has donejsp, and the golden "ornament never for one mo-. rrent leaves his posseaion. • "My dream* always ccme true," he informed 'the writer on ore occasion. " I have dreamed I ah*ll do better still, and have no doubts as ' to the future." This was. said in no boMtinff spirit, but in the quiet, confident manner of, one vrho believes in himself.

— What is the first banking- transaction mentioned in the Bible?— When Pharaoh -received a check at the Red Sea crossed