Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/541

 1899.] AET, DEAMA AND MUSIC. 117

Delhi to the late General Sir George Brook, E.C.B. (Mrs. £. Johnston) ; a large oil painting, by J. Clayton Adams; "The Evening Sunset" — a view on Ewhurst Hill, near Guildford (Rev. M. Davison) ; and a col- lection of 1,032 plaster-casts of ornaments from church bells in Stafford- shire (Mr. C. Lynam, F.S.A.).

Tb* Royal Academy.— The winter exhibition at Burlington House was devoted exclusively to the works of Rembrandt, of which nearly ninety had been brought together, and with less than half a dozen exceptions all from public or private galleries in Great Britain. Such a display of Rembrandt's work had only been seen in the course of the previous autumn at Amsterdam, where it formed part of the Queen's coronation JUts.

\ The summer exhibition was distinguished rather by a general fair

level of work, especially landscapes, than by any distinctive pictures. The selections made by the trustees of the Chantrey Bequest were

s " The Battle of the Nile," by W. H. Wyllie, A.R.A. (700/.) ; " My Lady's

i Garden," by J. Young Hunter (360/.) ; " Approaching Night," by H. W.

t B. Davis, R.A. (315/.) ; " Off Valparaiso," by T. Somerscales (250/.) ; a

water colour " Le Chateau d'Or," by C. Maundrell (21/.) ; and a bronze figure, "The Girdle," by W. R. Cotton (630/.). The President, Mr. Orchardson, Mr. L. Fildes and Mr. Herkomer were represented solely by

( portraits, to which the last named added a remarkable specimen of metal

- work and enamel, " The Triumph of the Hour." Mr. MacWhirter, Mr.

j. Alfred East, Mr. Ridley Corbet and Mr. David Murray were among the

more successful landscapists, and Mr. Byam Shaw was conspicuous by

< an allegorical pageant, " The Triumph of Love." By general consent the

most distinguished artists of the year were Mr. Sargent, R.A., Mr. J. J. Shannon, A.R.A., and Mr. Abbey, A.R.A.

The Royal Academy came into the enjoyment of a sum of 10,000/.

,, bequeathed by its former President, Lord Leighton, with the condition

f that the interest should be devoted to acquiring or commissioning

works of decorative painting, sculpture or architecture.

The death of Sir A. W. Blomfield, A.R.A., architect, and Mr. H.

Bates, A.R.A., sculptor, were recorded ; and Mr. A. S. Cope, portrait

painter; Mr. Alfred East, landscape painter; Mr. W. Goscombe John,

sculptor, and Mr. Ash ton Webb, architect, were elected associates.

The other picture galleries (new and old) held their annual and

^ and displaying all phases of modern art, but none of these call for any 1 special notice.
 * semi-annual exhibitions, and showed no lack of energy in developing

Art Sales. — Partly in consequence, perhaps, of the prosperous state of affairs prevailing throughout the country, collectors had fewer oppor-

•\ tunities than usual of increasing their stores. Prices, however, for

really fine works of art ruled exceptionally high, and twice as many


 * [ pictures fetched over 400 guineas a piece in 1899 as reached that figure

y Sir John Fowler's (deceased) collection, when ninety-one pictures real- ly ised 65,974/., the Dutch pictures especially fetching large sums. Next ^ came the collection of Mr. J. L. Mteville, in which ] ^ romantic school held an important place, realising <
 * in the previous year. The most noteworthy picture sale was that of

lich pictures of the French Rising 41,750/. There was