"IN TIME OF PERIL."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1936, 19 December 1913, Page 3

"IN TIME OF PERIL."

. A very fine copy be Mr. E.- Blair Leighton's celebrated oil painting) "In Time of Peril,-'' is at present being exhibited at> ; M'Gregor Wright's studio on Lambfon Quay, Tho copy was executed by Sirs. A. M. Stratford, and is an astonishingly faithful .ropro*. d'uotion of the- Leighton study, which has commanded admiration the world over, Tlie subject is that oi" a knight, his lady and children, with a hastilycollected selection of their jewels and household goods, putting in a boat to the waterside landing of nil oid-time monastery, their object being plainly to seek sanctuary from the marauding enemy. This is clearly. indicated iii every clctail of the picture—tho pleading look of tho mother, as old white-bearded monk stares out of the gloom at the unexpected visitors, the look of terror- in tho boy's! eves as lie gazes back over live waters the' party has traversed, and -the loosely-tied bundles of plate in, the bottom of tho boat. The figures aro all well drawn, and the' armour of tlie knight and tlie leather jc-rkin ■of the v servant at'tlie oar are 'faithfully painted in texture as well as tint, and contrast) effectively with the scarlet: robe of the woman, and the riot of colour. amongst tho fioo-ds saved from the spoilers.. A little while, since Mr. j Stratford, ■ husband of the artist, wroto Homo, to _Ur. Blair Leighton. to gain an authentic idea as to the real stoi-v of tho picture. Mv. Leighkm wrote.Jiac'c:--.. .

"The incident depicted in ;my painting, 'In Time of Peril,' was 'suggested hy Ingulph's 'Chronicle' of. Urn Abbey of Crovland,' m which it is frequently recorded that' in troublous times those in danger took their ■ wives, children, Slid portable (Valuables, .and .'deposited them in a monastery.. The period of ilie pieturo; is early iu the fourteenth century, at which-itimo such sanctuary was frequently'necessary.'/--..1-nm ylad to hear that my. work-is so. much liked in New Zealand.'*'- ■. Incidentally,- it is worthy 0f..: note;; that.- Mrs: • Stratford. mado the copy.from the ' original, which• hangs' in -.tlie-V Auckland ... Art Gallery.