PICTURE RUINED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 131, 4 June 1937, Page 10

PICTURE RUINED

VANDAL AT GALLERY

PIECE CUT CLEAN OUT

DISGRACEFUL ACT

An . extraordinary and disgraceful act of vandalism was perpetrated in the National Art Gallery yesterday afternoon, a piece being, cut clean out of one of the pictures with some sharp instrument and carried.away.

The damaged picture is a fine and valuable oil.painting by Harold Speed, the canvas of which measures some 30 inches by 2-4. It .-represents the seminude figure of a girl, seated .against a colourful background of gay window curtains,■ the painting of the flesh tints 6 bung exceptionally fine. The piece which has been cut out measures about nine inches by seven, and includes all the upper part of the torso. Obviously a razor or a-very sharp knife. was used, since the cut is a very clean one. NO SIGN OF MISSING PIECE. There is no. trace 'of the missing piece, and it is apparent that -the perpetrator of the outrage took it away. Could the piece which has been cut out be regained it might be possible to restore the picture, but as it is the work •is hopelessly ruined^ It was purchased in 1928.f0r £150.by. the New Zealand Academy, and formed part of the collection presented by the academy to the National Gallery. Harold Speed, the painter of the damaged picture, ' which is entitled "May Morning," is a famous - artist whose work is exhibited in the Tate and other - notable galleries. ACTION UNOBSERVED. The damage to the picture was done at some lime between 1 p.m. and 2.4.5 p.m. yesterday. Up to the former hour there were several people-working in the galleries on the rearrangement of . the .pictures, and when they left .shortly before 1 p.m. all was in order. Upon their return late, in the afternoon-; the vandalism was'discovered. • - ..,.,- During the hours when the National Gallery is open to the public there is always. one attendant on duty,, but it is . manifestly . impossible for, him to keep an eye on all the' galleries, at the same time. It would,be very easy for ■anyone with yandalistic^mtentions to wait'until the attendant was in another part of the galleries before; carrying out 'his or her evil intentions. Such vandalism, too, was .rendered, easier by the; fact that this, picture,, like' many another, had no- glass,in .it. In perpetrating an, act of-vandalism such as. that which has been, committed there would1 be .no sound of breaking ..glass to attract attention, and with a sharp instrument the, perpetrator could work silently and swiftly. - .

The matter'has been placed.'in the hands of the police, and'the remnant of the mutilated picture liasbecn removed from the gallery walls.'