Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-08
PRICELESS PICTURES.
DISCOVERED IN TAKING DOWN
PICTURES OF 0EOR0Ee.
Are the Work Of verrio--They Were
Defaced by Nall Holes, but Damaged
otOrers.

storers.
An interesting discovery has re-
warded the researches of Lord Echer
and other officials at Hampton palace,
England.
There has always lurked suspicion
that the walls of the famous Queen
Anne's drawing room, which is in the
center of the east wing Of Wren's
famous building, which room forms
the apex on which the three great
avenues of trees known to the whole
world converge, contained more than
the second rate portraits of the
Georges. Never, however, was 1t sup
posed that an important work by that
once famous decorative artist Verrio
had been concealed since 1875, owing
to stupendous act Of vandalism, which
It Is presumed was carried out by
Queen Caroline in 1895, probably to
prevent the apotheosis Of Queen Anne
from meeting her eyes in her draw
ing room when she became queen. And
again in 1888 the beautiful paintings
now discovered were covered up. The
date is known by the Extraordinary
act Of the paper hanger of that time,
who, in covering up Verrio's work,
scratched his own name and the date
Of the paper-hanging. In taking down
some of the portraits of the Georges,
which were intended for Kensington
palace, it was noticed by an official
that the top right-hand corner close
to the ceiling seemed abruptly cut off
from the general scheme Of the beauti-
full ceiling, which every one has seen
and admired, and which represents
Queen Anne, in the chariot OF Justice,
dressed in purple, lined with ermine.
Over her head is crown, held by Nep-
tune and Britannia, while surrounding
and floating in the clouds are various
allegorical figures representing Peace
and Plenty, etc. The discovery now
made shows that the whole Of the
walls were originally painted by Ver-
rio in the same manner, the subject be-
cling Queen Anne's apotheosis as Queen
of the Sea in the four great quarters Of
the globe. The importance of the
find" was not really known until
Eaines & Sons, the queens picture re-
storers, began to clean away the cen
tury and a half's dire and dust which
had accumulated under the wall paper
when 1t was seen that the very dirt
that obscured the pictures had really
preserved their beautiful cOlors and de-
signs and 1t is only now, when the
walls have been nearly restored, that
true appreciation of the discovery can
be made. On carefully stripping the
red colored paper off the walls 1t was
found that the vandals who first oh.
scured the pictures had done immense
damage by cutting away much Of Yer
rios mural painting to insert the bat
tens ON which they stretched the tough
canvas to hold great silk damask COW
ering. By carefully nursing every bit
of the design the restorers have been
able to reproduce these fragments Of
the picture which were torn away by
the workman's plaster hammer. The
green silk damask covering was Queen
Caroline's George lis wife) design
Tor the covering OF Queen Anne's pic
lures, and over this she hung the pic
lures Of her own people, which she
brought from Kensington palace Many
shreds of this silk covering were found
attached to the battens. In 1888 this
silk became tattered and faded and was
taken down to give place to ordinary
heavy wall paper stretched on rude
canvas. The workmen at the latter
date, owing to the dirt, may not have
noticed the splendors of the work on
the walls; however, no notice was TAX
en- OF it at the time. In Queen Caro-
lines time it evidently was forgotten
hat rich paintings were under the silk
covering, for whenever It was neces-
sary to hang new picture or rehang
another, or put up piece of tapestry,
nails to hold these were ruthlessly
driven into the paintings at the back,
md the restorers have found thousands
Of holes all over the works. Luckily,
however, the holes have mostly es-
capped the faces and figures of the
paintings. Every one who has visited
Hampton Court palace knows the
kings great staircase and its heroic
paintings by Verrio representing the
Triumph of Bacchus. 1t may be safe
" said that the new Verrios in Queen
inne's drawing room are infinitely
better in color and design than those
IN the staircase by the same artist. The
room is now closed to the public, but
will be open to all as soon as the res
toration Is complete.