Studio: international art (7.1896)

Studio- Talk

struggle against his exhausting complaint had left works which he acquired should have been pur-

to him, and his end came with comparative sudden- chased from the winter exhibition of the New

ness. The wearying and troublesome form of English Art Club. His visit to that collection was

heart complication which had attacked him was paid little more than a month before his death.

made unexpectedly active by a chill, and his death —;-

resulted on the afternoon of January 25, after less We may congratulate ourselves that his last im-
than three days' suffering. portant picture was practically completed before
- . his fatal illness attacked him. He had been

Few men of prominence in the art world could working on an illustration of the Perseus and

at the present moment be less easily spared than Andromeda myth, and had painted Perseus,

Lord Leighton. He had held office as President mounted on Pegasus and carrying the head of

of the Royal Academy for some eighteen years Medusa, hastening to the relief of the fair victim,

during a period of exceptional activity in all The picture has for background one of those

branches of Art, and it is not too much to say that classic coast scenes which the President designed

during that time he used his considerable influence so successfully, and is throughout handled with all

with invariable discretion and with unwavering his usual skill and dainty refinement,

devotion to the best interests of Art. All shades -

of opinion agreed in respecting his leadership, and Mr. Harold Speed's design for a mural decora-

in regarding him as a man of sincere convictions tion, a well imagined and happily arranged com-

and without bias or prejudice. To young artists position, is to be carried out as part of the scheme

especially he was always kindly and considerate, of decoration of the Royal Academy refreshment

prompt with advice, and ready far more often than rooms. The artist,' who gained for it an award at

was generally known to give substantial help. the last Academy prize distribution, has arranged

- his drawing with special reference to the position

Of his catholicity of taste very many instances which the wall painting will eventually occupy.

could be quoted. He went everywhere and saw ■-

everything; and there was hardly an exhibition Professor Herkomer has on the easel two

which had anything novel or important to show portraits which are likely to attract more than

that he did not visit. His sympathies with really usual attention in the coming spring. One, a

earnest endeavour remained to the last as active three-quarter length of the Regent of Bavaria, is a

and intelligent as they had been in the days when particularly happy rendering of a distinguished

he was himself accumulating his experience and and yet kindly type, a picture of a man whose

building up his reputation. It is, for instance, charm of personality has not been obliterated by

entirely characteristic of him that one of the last the formalities of Court life. The other is a vivid

DESIGN' FOR A MURAL DECORATION BY HAROLD SPEED

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