GREAT PICTURE FAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 99, 4 August 1910, Page 2

GREAT PICTURE FAKE.

-■•:'!<" " ; ';;r W. : : 'irji Z ''•• ■ n VELASQUEZ VENUS, COSTING" ■ Mm >. ,-«'?,r£4SyPPp. o.'-fl J POLICE ' -rtfi-itM p- ~,.,- -|. ''■ ' •" ":'"■•>• ' :r ' i cEbnd«W, June Hv '.. The WftwlfcotvLwiw ferfelm&t 'd& ! qu*!t!Cn. of. The authenticity of the so-called RokebyoVehtsquez,; entitled "Rwjlining Venus with Mirrors," purchased by public subscrip- : tipn'for £4'5',000, and presented to the'; National 'Galiery. '" • ; ~" Thai the" painting is really the work'of the great Spanishf.'master is seriously disputed. ■ ■•; .r, :i Chayles Greig, a. noted Velasquez ex-'' pert',' ''assert that he discovered in 'the corner of'the canvas the-ciphe*" of Mazo? tfctie son-in-law, pupil and sncv' cesson; as-court ipainter of-'the Velg,s,quez, '..... . , '.."■'"* ' Several important pictures whicli were to Velasquez have .proved of late years to have work Qt ■Maao, who'Smitaited'tiiei/niiaister's work superficially to perfection! On Friday six, officials qi the National and other galleries, some of whom were concerned, in securing,, Velasquez for the nation, declared; after the closest scrutiny of..the canvas with glasses, jbhat they wmld,f)pd,.gp..trace, ojj Mazo's signature. ' ] Mr. Greig"nowoffers to find the cipher for them. There are crowds around the picture in the National Gallery all • tiay, and violent controversies: are so frequent between the a police guard has been' invoked". 1 '