< Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 4).djvu
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[LLUSTRATSD INTERTTETVS 12

We crossed the lawn, walked down a long lua) passage covcered with ivy, and once again entered the house. 1 do not think thuc 1s another home in the land so beautiful as Sir Frederick's. Tt is the home of an artist, who must necds have cvery- thing about the place to harmonise as the colours he lays upon his canvases.

Sir Ifrederick is justly proud of his house. He does not care even to look back upon

his own life, a life which has been one of

remarkable brilliancy, a life which he has lived with a purpose ; he is to-day at the head of his profession, 'lproksxmn for which he was destined on his first birthday. Not only has his genius been conv cyed tlnou()h the channcl of his brush and palcette, but as a scholar and a thinker he impresses to the highest degree those whose good fortunce it Is to enjoy his friendship or acquaintance. Neither will he criticise the cfforts of his brother artists save in terms of praisc ; neither will he speak of the life which he persontfics—Art—a subject too great, he

says, to be faithfully treated in the space n cvents of the He turns artists,

which I was to chronicle the day which T passed with him.

from his life, his brother and art

From a Photo byl

ARABIAN CUURT—-FENTRANCE.

27

itself to his home. He loves his home., His house was not designed in a day or built in a year. It has been the work of years ; bit by bit it has become more beau- tiful ; its owner has watched it grow up almost as a father does his boy:.

The house itself stands in a spot sur- rounded by many eminent pamters ; Lulw Idldes; R.AL Val Prinsep, A RA, G A \\’atts, whilst near at in once of the studios adjoining, the younger Rich- mond, the eminent pmtralt painter, 1s working. Outside, the house, which is of red brick, is strll\mo mn its Slfl]pllClt\ it was built for Sir Frederick by Mr. Aitchison twenty-six years ago, and here the President of the Roxal AL&dLfl*) has lived and worked ever since. Possibly the unimpressive aspect of the exterior was designed with a view of surprising the visitor when he once entered the place. The interior positively surpasses descrip- tion. I had the great privilege of being taken from room to room by Sir Fr ederick Leighton ; object after nh]gct was taken up and talked about, and it would be quite impossible to refer separately to all the artistic trcasures of which he is the pos

[Eliott d: Fry.

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