Destruction of a Great Painting by Fire.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 6407, 7 January 1888, Page 3

Destruction of a Great Painting by Fire.

By a cablegram received Tuesday last, the Melbourne branch of the house of H. H. Warner & Co.,' manufacturers of Warner's Safe Remedies, ,w»s apprized of the destruction by fire on Saturday last of the extensive London warehouses of H- H. Warner & Co., with all their contents, involving a loss of about £50,000. Exclusive of this, the great painting "Niagara in Winter," by Cameron, the properly of Hon H.H. Warner, and for which that gentleman in 1884 paid £6000, waa destroyed. The painting had peen entered for exhibition at tho forthcoming Centennial International Exhibition, and was being packed preparatory for shipment to the Colonies. The destruction of this picture is a great loss to art, as it cannot be duplicated. Owing to Che difficulties and dangers of sketching in the mighty Niagara gorge in mid-vinter, no One previous to Peter Cameron had ever attempted it, and his heroic work was the only painting of the world's greatest cataract encompassed by sleet and ice. It was a wonderful battle of Natnre's forces, wonderfully depicted. The picture was 9 x 18 feet in ' nze, and was universally recognised as possessing remarkable merit. The monetary loss oas in time be made good, but the loss to the world of a' great painting or picture of sculpture is something before whioh mere gold sinks to its proper level.

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