AN ARTIST’S VISION.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15887, 27 July 1923, Page 7

AN ARTIST’S VISION.

When Sir William Orpen, one of the greatest of British painters, went to Versailles to paint a group of the Peace Conference, great expectations were held that an historic work would be acquired by the nation. But it appears that though a great work has been achieved, it was not at all what was desired in official circles, and the picture has been rejected by the Imperial War Museur

Orpen holds the faith that art should be a vision of reality. At the conference (according to a contemporary) he saw through the hugstering and mean bargaining and bluff of those in high places, the old generals and decayed politicians who were supposed to have won the war but were certainly runing the peace. With a reckless but noble gesture he painted them ali out, these pompous and decorated notabilities, and put in their place the unknown soldier guarded by his dead mates.

Orpen’s brilliant art could not be tongue tied by authority which has been so ruffled and outraged that it has refused to buy his picture. The artist thus loses £2OOO and nine months’ work. But he has no regrets. He is satisfied that he has been true to himself, to the freedom of art and to the real nobility of bis theme.