Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/202

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. xn. SEPT. 11, 1915.

The Founder's portrait mentioned here still hangs in Hall. It was bought in 1597 for 4Z. 12s. 6d., says Mr. Kirby.

In the early fifteenth century Winchester College had two great benefactors, both old Wykehamists, to one or other of whom I think it possible that this " emblematic figure " may be traced Bishop Robert Sherborne and Dean Fleshmohger, both of Chich ester. The former became Bishop in 1508, and resigned shortly before his death in 1536 ; the latter was Dean between 1526 and 1541. At this time a painter was em- ployed by the Bishop for embellishing the Cathedral. The paintings still extant in the south and north transepts, and some ceiling decoration in the Lady Chapel, are attributed to him, and he is commonly supposed to have been one Bernardi, an Italian. But Prebendary Bennett remembers that an experienced art critic, examining these paintings a few years ago, expressed a strong opinion that they were by an artist from the Low Countries.

Unless the style of the painting, or the costume, should prevent the ascribing of ' The Trusty Servant ' to the earlier part of the sixteenth century, there would be nothing more natural than that one or other of these enthusiastic old Wykehamists should bestow a work of art of considerable teaching value on the old school to whose nurture they both felt that their high success in life was mainly due. I hope the subject may receive the attention of our readers which I think it deserves. CECIL DEEDES.

Chichester.

M. DONNADIEU, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTOR.

IN early life we had a friend, an old acquaintance of my father's, whom we knew only as " Monsr. Donnadieu"; and this is all that is put on his. sale catalogues, except on the one which was issued after his death. I never heard his Christian name. The only notice of him I have seen is Mr. Boase's article in vol. i. col. 896 of his Modern English Biography ' :

" Dcnnadieu, Alexander, b. France ; served in Napoleon Bonaparte's army ; decorated with the legion of honour ; came to England about 1829 ; gained his living as a talented musician and singer ; collected autographs which he sold ; lived for many years in chambers at 8, Duke St., Piccadilly, where he d. 8 Jany., 1861, aged about 70."

When in January, 1889, I read this in the proof-sheet, I exclaimed, "Oh! that was

his Christian name, was it ! " and thought no more about it except that the name would bfr " Alexandre " in French.

Lately, at the Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, I found the librarians have compiled a MS. catalogue of which as I think it is quite unknown to the majority of readers, and is of great value for reference I give the title in full :

" Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods's priced catalogues, with purchasers' names : sales 15 Feb- ruary, 1771 : March, 1844, and from May, 1853, to the present time. In four folio volumes, compiled under the direction of the Librarians of the Art Library."

In this I find a ' Catalogue of the Remaining Drawings by Old Masters [&c.] of the late Alcide Donnadieu. ... 14 and 15 May, 1866 ' : sold with other collections, whence it appears that on the dates mentioned Christie's sold the property of the late Alcide Donnadieu* Esq., for about 230Z.

This discloses a different Christian name from that given by Mr. Boase, so the question arises, Was " Alcide " the same person as " Alexandre " who died 8 Jan., 1861 ? If the same, why that interval of five years before realizing the property ?

M. Donnadieu was very fond of us r as we spoke French, but particularly of my brother Edmund because he was a good French scholar. I recollect my brother coming home one day and sa\dng that he had been up to M. Donnadieu' s chambers and found that he had just died, and that only a charwoman was in charge ; and he suggested to my father that he should go and take charge of the property, as there seemed to be no relations. My father, of course, would do nothing of the kind. I never heard any more, and only since I began writing these notes am I able to give an idea of what took place.

I have a cutting from a bookseller's sale catalogue as follows: "20,621. Donna- dieu. Catalogue of Autograph Letters, the collection of Monsr. Donnadieu, five days' sale : 8vo, 1/6, 1851." No name of auctioneer mentioned. I believe from the high number that this entry was in a wonderfully voluminous catalogue of upwards of 26,000 pamphlets issued by the much respected bookseller and pub- lisher John Russell Smith (see Boase r vol. iii. col. 639) between 1869 and 1874, I also have a catalogue issued by Mr. Alfred Russell Smith, his son, in October, 1872 r with this entry :

" Catalogue of the highly interesting and valuable autograph letters and historical manu- scripts, the collection of Mons. Donnadieu. 4to.