The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-14
Hnydon,s ..Judement Of solomon

IL " ltSlIh j URAJLh1Nl4Soa
Hnydon's s.Jndsment OF solomon
Deeply in debt, and with scarcely shil-
ling in the world, Hayden laid aside his un-
finished &c Macbeth and set about an enor-
nous picture, to which he proposed to de-
vote at least two years. His old friend,
Prince Hoare, met him one day and asked,
What are you going to paint?o Solo
mons judgment" s'Rubens and Raphael
have both tried it." ESQ much the better;
I'll tell the story better than they have
"Leave that to me-" "Who will pay your
renf? Pr: :.aL eaYe that to me.o "You will
never sell it." "I trust in God" "Well,
il you are arrested send for me.o The canvas
was ordered, twelve feet ten inches by ten
feet ten inches, and the artist went to work.
In few months he bad not shilling
to buy dinner. The keeper Of the chop
house where he had been wont to dine, sus-
pecting his poverty, told him to dine there
every day, and not to pay. John Hunt said
a plate would always be laid for him at his
table. His landlord, with whom he was
already G200 in arrears for his great paint
ing-roOm, was persuaded to let him stay
two years longer, until "Solomon" was
finished. Leigh Hunt lent him from time
the few pounds he could spare. Hilton, an
old fellow-student who had made success
full hit which had saved him from starva-
tion, shared with him his good fortune.
Old Benjamin West sent him e15 in kind
", ill-spelled letter. So by one means and
another Hayden lived. "Solomon" was
painted, and sent to the Water Color EXhi-
bition. The painter had quarreled with
the Royal Academy and the National Gale
ry, and would not send the picture for eS-
hibition to either.
To the private view came the Princess OF
Wales, accompanied by Payne Knight, who
was held an authority in art, and at whom
Haydon had fiercely girded in the matter OF
the Elgin marbles. Knight pronounced the
picture "distorted stuff" and her Highness
shifted that "she was sorry to see such
picture there" But when the picture was
shown to the public it took them by storm.
Before half an hour gentleman offered
.g5OO for it. Haydon's price was GGO0. The
gentleman asked the painter to so and dine
with him, and talk the matter over over
their wine. He had agreed to pay the e6OO,
when his wife interposed, "Nly dear, where
shall put my piano?' and so the bar
gain fell through. On the third day
the trustees OF the National Gallery
sent Sir George Beaumont and another
gentleman to purchase the picture lot
them. They were examining it and ap-
plauding its merits, when suddenly the at.
tendant put upon it the placard, "soid."
"Why," said the baronet, "we came to BUY
it for the gallery" "You did not say So"
"But we were going to do So" All! but
a gentleman bought it while you were talk
-, q, Id IF iS nrny0K.
ing" Just then Hayden came in. Sir
George, who had kept aloof from him ever
since the "Macbeth" business, rushed up
and shook him cordially by the hand.
" Haydon, Pm astonished. You must paint
me a picture; indeed you must. Lady
Beaumont and I will call-yes, indeed"
Lady Mulgrave now came in, swore the pic
ture was as fine rs Raphael. " "Haydon,
you must dine with us to-day, OF course"
When Hayden went home he found his
table covered with the cards Of lords and
dukes, literary men, and ladies. lie paid
his landlord the old e200, and allowed him
to draw on him for the remainder; he paid
the chop-house man twenty gulneas, the
arrears for his dinners; he paid tailor and
coal merchant. In a week he paid out e500,
and had E130 left. There were many other
debts, but now that he seemed to have
plenty of money nobody wanted it. He
and INilkic started off on a trip to Paris.
This was in May, 1914. Napoleon was IN
Elba, Louis XVIII. was on the throne, and
every Englishman who could atfordt was of
for Paris. Hayden came backin amonth and
went down to his native town. His picture
had been purchased by banker there.
The citizens received him with acclamation
and presented him with the freedom OF the
city "as testimony OF respect for his eX-
traordinary merit as historical painter,
and especially for the production Of his re.
cent picture, 'The Judgment OF Solomon u
Forty years later Hayden mentions that the
picture had been consigned to coal-hole.
After his death it came into the possession
of Sir Edward Landseer.-A. II. Guernsey
in Harpe1's Magazine for October.