DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66024#0089
THE ROYAL ACADEMY 43
according to Hone’s own statement, “ they were sorry such an indelicacy
should be offered to the public,” or words to that effect. Hone expressed
himself as greatly surprised at the accusation, assured the gentlemen that
“ he had always had the highest esteem for the lady alluded to, both on
account of her reputation as an artist, as well as her other accomplishments,”
offered to alter the picture, and to wait upon the lady in question and explain
that he had not intended anything malicious. “ The following morning,” he
says, “ two other gentlemen of the Council, together with the one who had
been to see him before, came again to call ” upon Hone and assured him that,
having carefully looked at the figure, they had come to the belief that it was
intended to represent a man rather than a woman. Hone jumped at this
suggestion and offered to make it clear that it was a man’s figure, and then
he wrote a letter to Angelica Kauffmann, stating that he had no intention
whatever of insulting her. He called twice at her house to explain the matter
to her, but on neither occasion was he fortunate enough to find her at home,
and therefore it was that he put the matter into writing. Angelica, however,
was not satisfied with his explanation, and she replied to him, on the 20th of
April, in the following terms: “ Sir,—I should have answeredyours immediately,
but I was engaged in business. I cannot conceive why several gentlemen
who never before deceived me—should conspire to do it at this time, and if
they themselves were deceived you cannot wonder that others should be
deceived also, and take for satyr (sic) which you say was not intended. I was
actuated, not only by my particular feelings, but a respect for the arts and
artists, and persuade myself you cannot think it a great sacrifice to remove
a picture that had even raised a suspicion of disrepute to any person who
never wished to offend you.”
It is quite clear, from this letter, that Angelica herself considered that
the portrait was intended to represent her, that she was annoyed at the work,
and that she considered Hone ought to withdraw it, even though he had
satisfied one or two persons that he had not intended to represent her in the
painting at all. Hone, however, was not going to lose his chance of poking
fun at the President, even though he himself stated that the nude figure was
not intended to represent Angelica. The opportunity of pointing out that
Reynolds’s compositions were most of them plagiarisms was not one to be
lost, and he absolutely refused either to alter the picture, or to withdraw it,
and took up the ground that as an Academician, “ honoured by His Majesty’s
sign manual, and whose character has been hitherto unimpeached by the breath
of slander, during a residence in this capital of upwards of thirty years,”
the picture should be accepted by the Academy, and should continue to be
hung in their exhibition.
The Academicians were, however, not at all satisfied with Hone’s action.
They resented it very strongly, and on the Tuesday evening before the
exhibition they had a special meeting, with the result that, at nine o’clock
that evening, a letter was sent to Hone in the following terms :
according to Hone’s own statement, “ they were sorry such an indelicacy
should be offered to the public,” or words to that effect. Hone expressed
himself as greatly surprised at the accusation, assured the gentlemen that
“ he had always had the highest esteem for the lady alluded to, both on
account of her reputation as an artist, as well as her other accomplishments,”
offered to alter the picture, and to wait upon the lady in question and explain
that he had not intended anything malicious. “ The following morning,” he
says, “ two other gentlemen of the Council, together with the one who had
been to see him before, came again to call ” upon Hone and assured him that,
having carefully looked at the figure, they had come to the belief that it was
intended to represent a man rather than a woman. Hone jumped at this
suggestion and offered to make it clear that it was a man’s figure, and then
he wrote a letter to Angelica Kauffmann, stating that he had no intention
whatever of insulting her. He called twice at her house to explain the matter
to her, but on neither occasion was he fortunate enough to find her at home,
and therefore it was that he put the matter into writing. Angelica, however,
was not satisfied with his explanation, and she replied to him, on the 20th of
April, in the following terms: “ Sir,—I should have answeredyours immediately,
but I was engaged in business. I cannot conceive why several gentlemen
who never before deceived me—should conspire to do it at this time, and if
they themselves were deceived you cannot wonder that others should be
deceived also, and take for satyr (sic) which you say was not intended. I was
actuated, not only by my particular feelings, but a respect for the arts and
artists, and persuade myself you cannot think it a great sacrifice to remove
a picture that had even raised a suspicion of disrepute to any person who
never wished to offend you.”
It is quite clear, from this letter, that Angelica herself considered that
the portrait was intended to represent her, that she was annoyed at the work,
and that she considered Hone ought to withdraw it, even though he had
satisfied one or two persons that he had not intended to represent her in the
painting at all. Hone, however, was not going to lose his chance of poking
fun at the President, even though he himself stated that the nude figure was
not intended to represent Angelica. The opportunity of pointing out that
Reynolds’s compositions were most of them plagiarisms was not one to be
lost, and he absolutely refused either to alter the picture, or to withdraw it,
and took up the ground that as an Academician, “ honoured by His Majesty’s
sign manual, and whose character has been hitherto unimpeached by the breath
of slander, during a residence in this capital of upwards of thirty years,”
the picture should be accepted by the Academy, and should continue to be
hung in their exhibition.
The Academicians were, however, not at all satisfied with Hone’s action.
They resented it very strongly, and on the Tuesday evening before the
exhibition they had a special meeting, with the result that, at nine o’clock
that evening, a letter was sent to Hone in the following terms :