George Wishart : Art Notes

ft- .143 not often Lit an artist has se much trouble over u commission as a young portrait painter named Kirby had somewhere 'shout the middle of 1HIKi, lie :was instructed by a draper named Lewis to paint a portrait of his wife, of whom he was very fond, and after he had hit oil a rather happy likeness in outline, the huaband 'thought it would be nice to have his own face added to the canvas. His idea was to possess a picture which would enahrine, us it were, their mutual affection and their married happiness. The !artist at once fell in with the idea, and after a while completed a picture which re- vealed the couple side by side fondly gazing at one another. Both husband and wife were delighted, 'but it was resolved between them to keep the matter a secret from their friends, and let them make discovery- of it for themselves: Accord- ingly the picture was removed from the stieno, and hung among other pictures at their house, as if it hod been there always, while the husband end wife care- fully refrained from drawing attention to it. They wished it to be a surprise, and so indeed it proved to ho, though not in the way they anticipated. The first to discover the work of art was the mother-in-law-a Mrs. Perry, and Whether it was that she was piqued at not having. bees consulted about it, or whether she prided herself on her critical faculties, she pounced, as it were, upon the picture, and metaphorically tore it tor shreds- 'Ilhe first fault she found was that iMr. and Mrs. Lewis wt're looking at oath other instead of beaming down upon the beholder. That was against all her ideas of what a portrait should do, The artist explained ,that he had been toid to invest Mr. Lewis's countenance with au expression of connubial love, and how could that better be expressed than by directing his eyes upon the object of his affections ? A few touches of the brush. however, produced the desired change of " eyes front." Then Mrs. Percy nuticol that the shirt collar came too high on the cheek. The fault was no sooner pointed out than mended. The artist rigorously eat; 'down the collar to the proper dimen- sions. Now, Mrs. Lewis, who had been well satisfied before "mother-in-law" inter- fered,poiated out that her husband had very ,pretty cars, and they were hidden under tan immoderately -sized black Brutus wig, The artist was equal 'to the ocgasion. He cut away the superfluous curls, and Mr. ih's pretty delicate ears were exposed " be view of the spectator. Mrs. Lewis then discovered that her husband looked like a jockey. The artist pleaded that he had but painted Mr. Lewis as be found him. and -if the costtruie he wore was sug- gestive of the turf the fault was not ,From criticiara, of her husband's por- trait' Mrs. Lewis now fell upon her onn, 'and finally proposed to the artist tha lie should paint her afresh, This the artist refused to do. bat he offered to new paint her face if she liked. This proposition was declined, and a general council of the family ended in the picture being sent back in disgrace to the studio. Husband and wife being thorougfhly dissatisfied with what before th y had warmly praised. they refused to Pa artist for his workt The artist sued them in the Court of Xing's Bench for 'the sum of twenty guineas-though an eminent artist declared be would not have done the work for lees than 100 guineas. er Foote people can't even do their oar,, without -striking an attitude. 'A :true artist is one, -who would le Art for Art's sake, if lie could nflard do ridieuTioafrilliflitiek:966iire-'4661e when atwas produced incourt the spec- tators buret into laughter at seeing a loving couple thus depicted cheek by jowl. One of the witnesses, a tailor, declared that the picture was totally unlike the original. hat the coat and leather breeches were like. Counsel for the plaintiff main- tained that 'tihe portrait of Mr. Lewis wars a good one, but that of Mai. Lewis was not perfect. Perhaps, lie explained, those who took that view were only accus- tomed to seen,/ her in her ordinary domes- tic 'habit.. In the picture. however, she was arrayed i her bridal areas, and seemed to smile on her lambenel with an affection Which indicated that she had just come from the altar of Hymen-she sppeaired all lovelies's. Perhaps her looks were differeirt now. 'Those who judged d he picture might leave se n her when she was contemplating her load with an aspect whit* denoted impatience of the matri- monial yoke. 'Needless to say, the plain- tiff wag suoceseful TT la; suit, and the husband had the chagrin of 'having to pay the artist's fee and the costs as well. What became of the picture is not re- ported, HOW PICTURES ARE FAKED., A good deal of light is thrown upon the subiect of false attributions and sham masterpieces in those chapters of Lady Dorothy Neerille's "Reminiscences" that deal the subject of art One well-known amusing plan is this-A clever imitator isappointed by some dealer to paint an "old -master," let us say a Rembrandt, as was done in the case quoted by :Lady Dorothy. The name of Rembrandt was then painted into a cor- ner, and immediately overlaid by another, coat of paint and' /Varnish, over which the real artist, freely and frankly, wrote his own name. Why does he give himself away like that ? you will say. He does not give himself away at all The whole plan is arranged for the greedy American mil- lionAire, unsuspecting buyer of famous artists. The picture is sent o1it to America, looking exactly like Rem- brandt, only with a discordantly modern name upon it. Just as it is about to arrive, at New York the Custom -house officials recen e an anonymous letter (really sent by the dealer) denouncing the fraud. i - The Custoirrabouse people immediately examine the 'suspected canvas. Of .course, it must be a Rembrandt. It is old, ems browned, cracked. The modern artist's name isan obvious blind for the avoid- ance of high duty. The strewed fraud is exposed, and huge duty isdemanded, and willingly paid by the dealer at. home, who knows well that lie will get all his money back in the huge price given him by the millicrtraire who has, of course, accepted the Rembrandt ell the more en- thusiastically since it came with the ere- dentials of the Government. But a fraud it remains none the less. .e.. Painter of real gifts, who is content at the outset of his career to accept low prices. has no great difficulty in making a livelihood. It is sot so much the lack of buyers as the big prices detneaded for bail pictures which have depressed the modern picture market.-" Academy." ' - NEW, sooppyry OP lAIRITliSTS' EXIVLHEDIOIN. The third ennead exhAsition of the New Society of -Artists was opened by the Hon. J. W. Blair in the old National Gallery MOM in the Town Hail yesterday Lam, noon, at 3 o'clock. Theseewere many- visi- tors present, who spent a pleas nt time' in viewing the oil and water-coitl- paint- ings ; the exhibit of potbery else arm in for a share of admiration. ails* 4-ewarilis band provided an enjoyakile musical Pro- gramme. Afternoon ton was served. Amongst those present wise :-Sir Pope Cooper and Mir Cooper,`, Sir Arthur Rutledge, Captain Townley, air. and Mrs. .Leslie G. Oorrie. Mr. G. H. M. ...addition, the Mayor of Briebaine (Mr. J. Crane), Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Knight. 'Mr. and 'Mn. J. W. H. Grout, Mr. E. Ceti:lough (lion. 'secretary and hon. treasurer), Mrs. E. Colelough, Mrs. Aird. Mrs. i'eter Ban- croft, Misses Petrie -('2). Mrs. ,Arthur Peir- son, Mrs. A. V. Drury, Mr. and Miss King, Misses Lena and Ethel O'Connel, Mrs. J. Hunter. Mrs. Hunter laidlaw, Misses Hunter (2), Mr. i, N. Werdlum. Mr. T.W. Connell, Mai., Pate, Mrs. Victor Dairy, Messrs. J.L. Watts. G. Wishart, V. W. Caraeldine. 'A: Wood, E. G. Creifoin, L. W. K. Wirth, Franz Wirth, William Wirth. Oscar Frhstroin, W. Oxhide, A. J. Ilit.gston, W. Elms, Victor Day, lion. W. IL and Mn. Camp- bell, lice. H. C. George, Mrs. Randall illitedonnelll. Mr.. Mrs., and Miss Crowe, Mrs. and Mies Fristrom, Mr. G. Bayard, Mrs. K Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. B. Porter, -Mr. and Mrs. Flemming. Alderman Thomp- son, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Holliday. Captain and Miss Butcher, Mr. W. C. Volley. .Mrs. 1-i. Baynes, Mies Haynes, Mr. Robert %Vishart, Mr. and Mrs. George Randall, Mr. and Mrs. G. 0. Thomas, _T.,. Hatton, Mrs. and Miss Clarke, Mr. Mn,. V. Day. Miases Watts (2). Miss i41y Anders, tAbSN Ellis Ruski, Ma. Copeland, Miss Norwood, and many others. THE ST1B10. By 41PON AMI." The annual exhibition' ofthe Neal? Society of Artists bad the disadvantage of being held at a time when people were thinking more of Federal politics than of art-when the election figures were more interesting than figures on canvas. The at- tendance consequently was less encourag- ing than it would have been bad more normal conditions prevailed. Taking the exhibition as a whole, however, it was the inert satisfactory yet held by the society. There were fewer crude efforts and more meritorious work than do previ- ous occasions. That is something, for it shows that the society Is progressive, and its membera are wanting neither in in, &stay nor enthusiasm. * The exhibition was closed on Thurs- day, last week, when the occasion was marked by an enjoyable imprcanptu con - art. Miss Alice Watts noted as arcom- panast, and among those who assisted with recitations' songs, de., were Mist lady Anderson, 'M srs. Addison, Watts Colelough, Faistrom, Oxlade, A. Wood ilVishart, Moroney, Crispin, and Maguire. The business side of the exhibition was rep ted by a few sales of pictures by ,weearesemn Wishart and Monteath, and one nr two specimens off the ceramici art by Mr; Moroney, NEW I Tim tidal Society of ." evening. 'I` 0. Fristroir P. Maguire. Moroney, ti Wirth, P. Osueldine, W. Wood. i Harder, Itla Anderson. The seen, wfipicilr revie showed assns stated that berthip of seven ata the member corded in le in tube collie Brisbane. loss of an Rev. C, E. castle. In c filet fslociettivI and was dolt curing to en IKM in the f timer. On the nn curled by I and bailane Fallowing of ensuing year M.L.A. (re-( Pei -Aram ' t Watts as-id ( sash treastre ed) ; oarnmit G. H. M. A, end A. W,,,g After tom, to hold th-- pieturug der The orsertnir bo the thairit The N A' .genetel ef. Artists. ar room; 'town Those linesen IL. 'W. K. Manes, J. ,T. -31anteiSth, (Pristrom, 11, Misses L. A Kefr,nxi: ,3,11 was read tn. Patron of ability to att the meeting Wirth trend proveitod 0,, dis' t s,iont licarty vote t.obtrell. nominated Pa The rest of viewing a co of hits of Ian! -muter-to a number of satisfactory members, el: society's corn opened on A