QUEEN VICTORIA AND THE ARTIST.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2553, 13 March 1877, Page 2

QUEEN VICTORIA AND THE ARTIST.

A correspondent of the London Times relates the. ; foliowinjj. pleasing incident concerning the Queen and SculptorGibson. Daring the hot season of 18491 saw much of. Gibson at. the ..Bagni di Lucca,.that cool and lovely spot whither he had flown from the fervid;heat,of a Roman summer. In familiar conversation he OBe day re* lated to me the followinganeedote: "At the first sitting Her [Majesijr^afe ijie not a word wasrspoken on either «de, and at its conclusion I, departed,: aocording to etiquette, in solemn' silence; •' On the next occasion, when the,Queen:had.taken.her seat, solemn silence was sfflkin the! order of the day, - Sat after working ■ for" some time the. dreadful.. monotony became absolutely insupportable, and the thought flashed across me," said Gibson,: 1 ".this will nevei- do, and on the r impulse, of the moment I turned round and; pointing to .the model, asked,• doe's your majesty, like the tiara I, have placed bnr, the head ?' -.<Obi ye«i.jMr..flibsoni'/excraimecl ; the Queen,.in a bright and smiling way, ' I think it is.very nice,'" The inoabus was removed, and from that moment till?tb» completion of the statue Gibson had never again to complain of silence, and the-Queen herself'listened with evident. , interest to the Uoman - anecdotes ihat Gibson related from the stores of his fertile"memory. ~ " ~ ■