RIVAL PICTURES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1168, 1 July 1911, Page 5

RIVAL PICTURES.

. 4 . "THE DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE." B; Telegraph- -Press Asaociation-OopyriEht (Ecc. Juno 30, 10.15 p.m.) London, Juno 30. Mr. W. A. Horn, now the owner of the picture alleged to bo Gainsborough's "Duchess of Devonshire," has arranged for its exhibition in a West End Gallery to enable experts to compare it with Mr. Picrpont Morgan's picture of the Duchess, and decido which of the two is the original. A STOLEN MASTERPIECE. The famous stolen "Duchess of Devonshire," now in the possession of Mr. J. l'ierpont Morgan, is now alleged, according to a recent cablo message from London, to bo only a replica of the original picture painted by Gainsborough, and finished by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Tho original "Duchess" painted by Gainsborough atono, it is contended, is now on exhibition in a London gallery, and is said to have been in the possession of a Mr. John Foster, formerly a genera lmorchant of Sydney, who made a written statement on the subject in July, 1878.

Tho "Duchess of Devonshire," says a southern writer, hangs in Mr. Pierpont Morgan's dining-room, and is certainty a most bewitching picture. It was purchased by Messrs. Agnew and Co., the well-known dealers and print-engravers, at auction, in 187G, for 10,000 guineas, and was almost immediately afterwards 1 , cut out of its framo and tolcn by a thief., 60110 need hardly say that Messrs. Agnew satisfied themselves as to its pedigree before giving such a handsome sum for it. Nothing moro was heard of its whereabouts, until April, 1001, when a Pinkerton detective was approached by a man named Speedy, in Chicago, who said ho know who took tho picture, and said it was to be found, and nltimtaely handed it over for .£SOOO, "no questions to bo asked." Messrs. Agnew on that occasion had no hesitation in identifying the picture, and were satisfied that it was the one stolon from them. The only difference was that the canvas was slightly smaller, which, of courso, was accounted for by its being cut out of the frame.