24 AUGUST 1974, Page 7

Relative values

Foreigners are often perplexed by the Englishman's liking for pictures of horses. Perhaps the remark made in 1812 by Ben Marshall — one of our greatest sporting artists — underlines this idiosyncrasy: "I discover many a man who will give me fifty guineas for painting his horse who thinks ten guineas too much for painting his wife."

Hugh Leggatt