THE DECORATION OP ST. PAUL'S.
[To THE EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR."] Ste,,—Your correspondent " H. S." (Spectator, August 28th) does not make it quite clear why the late G. F. Watts lost the chance of decorating the drum of the dome of St. Paul's, through the death of Dean Milman. Granted it was so, it is still less to the credit of Dean Gregory that Watts was not allowed to undertake it, even in fresco. The large fresco he did some sixty years ago for the Benchers at Lincoln's Inn has been successfully cleaned. But the artist was probably right when he said that mosaic was the proper medium, and Watts certainly had the ability to make designs for this. Sir William Richmond chose a good material, but his invention was weak and the colour gaudy. Alfred Gilbert is perhaps the only artist living who has the genius to carry off such a great task successfully, and he, I suppose, is not available.— I am, Sir, &c., FRANK GIBSON. S Chester Terrace, Regent's Park.
[This corresiondence must now cease.—ED. Spectator.]
Previous page
