ART TREASURE FINDS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1928, Page 7

ART TREASURE FINDS

DISCOVERY AT DUNEDIN. Dunedin, April 9. Art' “finds” in New Zealand are gradually being brought to light. Following the announcement that two Auckland ladies had discovered a set of water colour paintings which were proved to be the work f the famous English poet and painter, William Blake, further advice from that city a week ago told of the finding of what was probably an original engraving by Blake. The second message suggested that the “finds” might bring other treasures from their resting places in New Zealand homes They have done so. Mr. J. T. Paget, of Filleul Street, has now unearthed two engravings, one by Charles Fox and the other by John Burnet. Both engravings are from the work of the Scottish painter Sir David Wilkie, R.A, The first, “The Reading of a Will,” engraved by John Burnet, gives no cue as to when it was printed, no date appearing on the work, while the second, “The Village Recruit,” was published in London on September 4 1.838, from the original then in the possession of John Greave, of Lancashire.

Sir David Wilkie was born in 1785 at Cults, in Fifeshire. He developed a love of art, and in 1799, after attending three schools, his father reluctantly yielded to his desire to become a painter. “The Reading of a Will,” a commission from the King of Bavaria, was .completed in 1820. In the spring of 1805 Wilkie left Scotland, taking with him his “Bounty Money,” or “The Village Recruit,” which he disposed of for £6. His subjects were mostly of rural life and highly successful. Many of his other works were engraved, including “The Village Politician.” In 1830 he was appointed to the position of painter to the King (William the Fourth), and was knighted six years later.

The present owner of the two engravings purchased them thirty-two years ago from Mr. Faehe, then editor of the Dunstan Times. How long they were in hie possession is not known, nor how or where he procured them. The value of “The Reading of the Will” and “The Village Recruit” engravings is also unknown;