ARTISTS IN RUSES, TOO

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17605, 22 October 1931, Page 6

ARTISTS IN RUSES, TOO

LATE SIR B. MACKENNAL MANY GIFTS TO CIIAKITY LONDON, Oct. M. Human interest stories of the late Sir Bertram Mackennal are related by the Evening News, which, in the course of •a tribute to tho Australian sculptor, .'says- lie was' one of the most eagerly ,sought artists in the country. He was forced to refuse many com'missions during the last 10 years, as be 'had not the time to fulfil them, lie enjoyed King George’s friendship, and when the princes were young they often visited Mackcnnars studio and watched him modelling. The paper‘recalls a story current when 'King Edward commanded Mackennal to design a memorial to Queen Victoria, and which illustrates the sculptor’s independence. He submitted to Cabinet a model of another work, which the wife of a leading Cabinet Minister so caustically criticised that Mackennal walked over and punched the model out of re cognition. Many stories are told of his liberality. He spent thousands a year in helping ■poor artists, and always adopted ruses to prevent them thinking the gifts were jcharity. The finest example of his generosity was when a. working men’s committee asked him to design a war memorial. Mackennal’s usual fee was £SOO, but the committee possessed only £35, for which amount the chairman offered a .cheque. Mackennal, apparently inadvertently, caused the cheque to catch fire from. liis cigar, and refused to take another.