Studio: international art (85.1923)

ETTY'S PICTURES IN LORD LEVERHULME’S COLLECTION

“ THE THREE GRACES ”
OIL PAINTING BY
WILLIAM ETTY, R.A.

drape the Triton's loins i Here too is a
small version of Pandora, formed by Vulcan
and crowned by the Seasons, the larger
version of which won Etty his associateship
of the Academy in 1824, but in this richly-
coloured little picture, which “ made a
considerable noise '' when seen at the
British Institution in 1820, we have the
painter's original inspiration from Hesiod
taking form after specified works of art
had been consulted, and the lines and tex-
tures of the draperies determined in re-
lation with the flesh-tints. Dominant in
the gallery at “ The Hill " hangs The
Hesperides, a painting of exquisitegrace and
charm, done in 1844, and intended to be
executed in fresco as a decoration for the

Summer Palace, Kensington Gardens.
This was at the command of the Prince
Consort, but the Prince failed to see the
decorative possibilities of the design, and
the idea was dropped, much to Etty's dis-
appointment. The Spirit's Epilogue in
Milton's u Comus " gave Etty his text,
and the painter gave it illustration of his
best. If you want the tender poetry of
The Judgment of Paris, you may turn to
Tennyson's lovely u Oenone," but if you
wish to see the legend in gracious and
beautiful form, as our reproduction sug-
gests, you must visit the Lady Lever Art
Gallery in Port Sunlight, where it holds a
place of honour among Lord Leverhulme's
most treasured possessions. 0 0