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But the second day was the one of thrills. Then it was that some score of master canvases, mainly from the expensive 18th Century so favored by Maecenas Huntington, were sold. And chief among these was Sir Thomas Lawrence's "Pinkie," which brought the record auction price to date, $370,000. "Pinkie" is regarded as Lawrence's best work in his early debonair manner, that manner of captivating, almost too facile grace which made him adored of the great ladies of his day and keeps him popular since. "Pinkie" wentto Sir Joseph Duveen. "Pinkie," who was none other than Miss Mary Moulton Barrett, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's aunt, painted as a young girl coquettishly sauntering over a barren moor before a thunderstorm sky.
The second most interesting sale (also to Sir Joseph) was a Gains borough portrait, "Miss Tatton," $231,000, for 30 x 25 inches of Gainsborough's bestGainsborough who alone of the 18th Cen tury British school put into his work some degree of the character behind the face. There is on record a conversation between Thomas Gainsborough and his Majesty, George III.
"Tantalizing art, hey, Mr. Gainsborough portraiture ? No pleasing your sitters, hey? All wanting to be Venuses and Adonises. Since you have taken, hey, to portraiture, I suppose everyone wants your landscapes, hey?"
"Hey, indeed, your Majesty," said Gainsborough.
He had a profound contempt for this uneasy little king, with his know-it-all air, and his face like a plum; what was more the king had touched him on a sensitive spot. All his life he was annoyed that people made him paint their faces and refused to give a guinea for his hayricks and his cottages. Portraiture was fashionable. Landscape was not. Well, one lived in the world; one painted portraits. Sir Joshua had done it; scuttling Romney did it; Thomas Lawrence got himself into the Royal Academy at 21 by doing it. Venuses and Adonises. Even the king managed to be funny about it.
Sir Joseph Duveen's third great acquisition was Romney's portrait of Lady Elizabeth Forbes. These three, together with certain other paintings and objets d'art, cost him $1,000,000. Governor Alvan T. Fuller of Massachusetts, millionaire art collector, secured Romney's superb "Lady de la Pole" for $220,000. The sale continued three more days, but without further headlines in the press; $2,280,000 had been realized in the first two days.
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