HOGARTHS MASTERPIECE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 191, 24 November 1876, Page 7

HOGARTHS MASTERPIECE.

Hogabth Avas once applied to by an exceedingly wealthy, but very penurious old nobleman, to paint the main hall of a new mansion with an historical piece — a style of embellishment much in vogue among the aristocracy cf the period. Hogarth was open to the proposition, and was asked what he would charge to paint upon the walls of the hall a representation of the passage of the children of Israel across the Eed Sea, pursued by Pharaoh and his host. The painter viewed the hall, and replied that he would do it for a hundred guineas. The miserly old nabob turned up his nose in amazement at the enormous charge. He would give twenty guineas for the work, and that was more than he deemed it worth. Hogarth, as may well be supposed, was both vexed and mortified by this estimate of the value of his labor j but he nodded and held back his temper, and finally said, if the sum wore paid to him in advance, he would undertake the job. The close-fisted nobleman consented to this arrangement, and he could not repress a chuckle

of inward satisfaction in view of his grand bargain as he paid over the money. Hogarth pocketed the twenty gold pieces, and promised that he would commence work on the morrow. Bright and oarly on the following morning the artist appeared at the mansion, accompanied by a stout assistant, who bore a huge bucket of common red paint; and at once they proceeded to daub the walls of the hall, and the panels, and the dadoes liberally with the glaring pigment. An hour before noon, just as the nobleman was getting up from his bed, Hograrth knocked at his door, announcing when the host appeared : " Well, sir, the work is done." " Done !" cried the astonished aristocrat. " What is done ?" " "Why the painting of your wall, sir," JN"ct knowing what to make of this marvellous explanation, the old nobleman threw on his dressing-gown and -went down to view the result of the artist's labors j and lxis consternation can be better imagined than described upon 'beholding the unbroken and unrelieved brick red hue tliat covered walls, and cornice, and wainscot. " What in the name of wonder is this ? ' he cried, rubbing his eyes, and gazing from the daub to the dauber. " That, sir," replied Hogarth, with a low bow, and with a, serious look, " is the Eed Sea !" " The Eed Sea ! But— btvt — where are Pharaoh and his host ?" " Why, sir, they are all drowned !" replied Hogarth. "Well, and where are the children of Israel?" " They" said the painter with an assuring nod, " have all crossed over on the other side ?" The old niggard found ib in vain to complain ; and for producing the host of Egypt and the Israelites Hogarth finally received his hundred guineas.