Studio: international art (79.1920)

JOHN HOUGHTON BONNOR: AN APPRECIATION

he had himself learned something from
her husband's work. This window also
attracted the attention of the Bishop of
Rockhampton, then in England mainly
for the purpose, I believe, of ordering
windows for his own Cathedral. Even so,
he found it, of course, by sheer accident;
and he, at all events, vindicated the strength
of his independent judgment by discover-
ing the artist's name, writing to say that it
was “ the most beautiful little window he
had seen in Europe," and asking him to un-
dertake his work at Rockhampton. “ But my
husband," says Mrs. Bonnor, “ was then
engaged on some other piece of work, and
was so absolutely absorbed that he did not
reply to the Bishop's letter ; and in another
week the Bishop wrote again—sending an
express messenger to wait for an answer."

14

EMBOSSED STEEL FIRE-SCREEN WITH
GILT FITTINGS AND ENAMELLED
SHIELD. BY J. H. BONNOR

More recently, through the same abso-
lute preoccupation with the work in hand,
Mr. Bonnor neglected to send three
finished works to the Paris Exhibition,
though those works had been chosen by the
Committee. He always, indeed, disliked
exhibitions, or any other thrusting of him-
self into the public view ; and though he
was for some time a member of the Junior
Art Workers' Guild, he never, through
some strang; oversight of his or theirs,
became a member of the Senior Guild. 0
No wonder that he had an uphill fight
until he inherited a small estate. Though
this would have enabled him to live in
comfort and to take the holiday which he
had so long deserved and probably needed
—he was always of delicate health—Mr.
Bonnor remained as wholly absorbed in