WORTH NOT KNOWN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 461, 1 July 1937, Page 5

WORTH NOT KNOWN

VALUED AT NO LESS THAN £17,000 Art Treasures In Attic Prass Association —Copvngnt. London, May 29. For five years art connoisseur, have searched for two misting masterpieces painted by the Spanish artist, Francisco Goya. They were found, together with two other valu able oil paintings, covered with cobwebs and dust, in t'he (attic of Mr. W. T. Russell, a businessman of Beckenham, Kent. The discovery was made by a parlourmaid. “I was in Spain about eight years ago as a salesman,” Mr. (Russell said, “when I became friendly with the Due Del Infantata. He decided to escape from Spain on the eve .of the revolution which lost Alfonso ills throne in 1931. “I chartered a ship for him, gave him much other assistance, arranged loans of many hundreds of pounds. “To show his gratitude and repa) the diebt, the duke gave me four paintings from his collection, which I chose at random and stored in the attic when I came to Beckenham.” “To show his gratitude and repay the debt, the duke cmfwyp rßhrdl On e p*ainting is of Goya’s mother, valued at £7OOO. Goya once sold it to pay for his rent, but bought it back from the landlady. The other reputed Goya, is a portrait of Don Pasqulal, cousin of Charles II of Spain. The four paintings have been valued at £17,000.