DUKE SELLS ROMNEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 710, 9 July 1929, Page 11

DUKE SELLS ROMNEY

ART WORLD GETS A SHOCK CONTROVERSY OVER COPY A sensation .has been caused in the art world by the sale, for over £50,000, of the Duke of Sutherland's portrait of the Duchess of Sutherland to Mr. Howard Young, the New York art dealer. Mr. Young is the man who sold to a Detroit millionaire what is suggested is merely a copy of the Romney now disposed of by the duke. The alleged copy changed hands in America for something over £40,000. The Duke of Sutherland, when he heard of it, declared the picture a copy, and pointed out that the original was hanging over a mantel at his home, Sutton Place, Guildford. The story of the controversy, however, begins at an art sale in London just over a year ago. The “copy’’ of the Romney Duchess was put up for sale, definitely catalogued “Romney (after).” Mr. A. L. Nicholson, a London dealer, had a careful look at the picture, and decided that underneath the dirt and varnish was the actual work of Romney. He instructed his agent, Mr. Bull, to bid for it, the curiosity of other dealers was not aroused, and the picture went for 325 guineas. After having the picture cleaned, Mr. Nicholson was thoroughly convinced that the picture was genuine. On the other hand were experts who had always recognised the Duke of Sutherland’s portrait as the original and only Romney painting of the Duchess. Mr. Nicholson’s explanation is that there were two pictures of the duchess painted by the artist. According to the New York “Sun,” says Reuter, Mr. Howard Young told the London correspondent of the paper: 'I promised to sell Mr. Fisher a certain portrait by Romney, and I am going to keep my word.”