THE CHINA - MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1956.
ANNIGONI
PAINTER OF THE QUEEN
What do you do when a general walks out on you...?
Continuing the success story of the man whose work draws the big crowds to the Royal Academy: Annigoni, painter of the Queen. Today David Wynne-Morgan-who tells the story- takes you back to Annigoni's early days in Italy...
P
hus been kept for pusterity in any of the his- toric churches of Florence.
IETRO ANNIGONI One was Marlo Galli, an im- Mey were all flferd away in
sketch sculptor turned 3
Exxooks, but they is the
only living presses
deuler of viet Falstaffan ap- enabled him to paint his most painter whose work
no fat he could not ambitious work, which look him PERERNES,
The other was 5 see his toes
woven years to complete: "The ot Way
Sermon the
on the ny, middle-aged American private moans, Adolf Koshland, Mount." In the shows more so shart-sighted as to be almost than 100 people in their way blind, who habitually wore the to hear Christ.
astered sockery of a trilly hat with the brim pulled down over his face.
Today, one of his most powerful works, the "Scene of the Crucifixion" in the Church of St. Mark, is 021 show for the stream of arts atuments anal tourists ELTE- Xions to inspect it.
It 1 printed 20 yenrango, hot in the church itself, but in the changing room used by the choirboys Il Wik
1 Even COLMIN o tied by the church auth salties. They simply granted his request to paint there
The painting has not survived intlic For three feet along the bottom of the mural the wall 14 illed with holes what the plast uppesi 11 craches! where the choirboys played ball while wathing for Services begin.
Smer
portrizat al |!11 Queen, the wall has now been protected and railings erected fo prevent any on getting tree use
Always
rebel
the
ANNIGONT'S IN HS Cere
story. He has never slarved,
he has never been pennlless, he his student since
hus
never,
days, been entirely unsuccessful, but he has always been a rebel
He was born in Milure in 1910, the son of a prongorous engineer, who was appointed to an impor- Lont official port in Florence,
On leaving school, be ETIKO up his mind to be an artist at was enrolled as a student at the Academia in Florence. He was on the books for 10 years before taking his final exam.
At the line usly was being swept by the IKW cult tr moxiern art, and Annigoni was a fanatical antagonist. "I believed then and I believe now that h Is & product of The disease the mind! of this century. reflects all that is decadent our times."
Together they toured Europe. mostly on fool, and your after your Annigoni recorded frew, the expressions attitudes of thousands uf men and women he met.
66]
und
он.
The the the
The picture, vevering the whole of one wall of the dining room, row hangs la the palatial home of wealthy Milan Idus malet Signer Lug Bresse, who has been Annigoni's petron for nearly 10 years.
Annigoni always resisted the rising tide of Fascism.
IN
NCANNY, isn't it,
dear?" said Molly.
**What is
ofusked absently.
in
Į
We were having supper und, after a bad day at
war www declared he deter- mised to resist military service at all costa. "I may not be a great artist, but I know I would have made a terrible soldier," he said.
CHAPTER TWO
ANNIGONI in his London studio with David Wynne-Morgan. The painting
he is working on is of Juanita Forbes, former wife of film actor Anthony Steel.
Through a friend an intro- duction was arronged with the pepcent commanding the Italian medical corps whose hend said Annigon!. "After that quarters were in Florence. He was left la ponce lo had been falt he was not a very Flore fecvent Fascist When he arrived war." at the 1042 he was shown inles the g per s rooms to quickly.
"I caught barn listening to the When English news from London."
for the rest
anel
I
part
in of the
under are--from German ftallar guns fighting to recap- ture the city.
For the Rost part Plovenice was spared. Two days after the of tration his father dited and: To the first time the city.
THIS picture started off the portrait of the Queen
AS PAINTING, Oxhibited in the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition in 1953, was nukleed by the Queen when she was shown round by Jar James Gunn shortly after the upening.
The Queen studied the painting elostay for more than a minute.
or Mrs Esme Chrisile Mler, wife of a -Salisbury business man.]
At last the Quren turned te and asked the painter's Game. "An Italian called Pietro Annigoni, ma'aS).“ he said. "He has been very successful recently."
Almost to herself the Queen said: "think it is very beautifu
kupre that one day he will be able to paint me." It was a prophetio wish.
WHAT
A
WAIH
Normal services were in chaos, Annigoni had to put his father's eorpsc in a wheelbarrow And push him through
sheil- stormed strecis to the cemetery two miles away.
לא 1
The jacket
on the door
NE of his first
ONE
Was
commissionN
paint the late General Mark Clark, the CORE- mander of the American armles General Clark pored
The portrait has seemed to possess in Italy a strange, almost mystical power, in Informally
1954 Mies Christie Miller's mother was
in his American combat hektet, but he refused to at the paund ng until it was
Miously if in hospital. and after lock several leading specialists had examined finishert, her the
the surgeon in charge came to her hause In Salisbury to say that the case was hopeless and it was too dangerous
er him to operate.
The surgeon slayed to dinner and
After 12 After sittings, Annigoni wrole tu lté sun it is end- pleted. General Clark look one look at the painting and stormexi: "I'll have you know I have was strangely silenk throughout the never lost a battle." and walked meal. He spent long perioda gazing at
at straight out the Annigan portrait hanging on the
Annigons wall, and seemed completely fascinated know if he thought the
not tired
by it. He asked about the artist, how hard lines round his mouth and and when the portrait had been painted, eyes, which reflected his weari- Before he left that night he said: ness after the campaign, made "That painting has had a most moving him look a beaten man, but he eflect upon me. I feel now that I aball never returned," be able to operate." The following day the operation was successful,
TROUBLE
TEACUP !
By Gerald Allen
On Wednesday, I told her we couldn't have cur holiday in July,
because the bugs wanted to go away himself then, but chvered
always stem to turn out as she I'm trying to tell you is that Mrs he up by telling her I'd booked
says
the Well. she can give you the wamer of the Grund National, and the money and tell me where I'm gobig w
jay the electricity bill,” I said jovially.
my
He remained a student at the office, I wasn't hanging on Academia for many years, but to my wife's words with hardly ever attended classes. He was at loggerheads with his customary close attention. teachers. He only remained to avoid being called up for mill- tury service.
HR
To... New
table top
E left home and, with three other young painters, sel up in a studio in the Plazza San Croce, 11 wid only one
zoom, but ran the whole length of the house. The rent was 305 por year.
·
"Lot of good my telling you anything. I might as well talk to myself," said Molly sharply.
"I was only asking."
"Well, you can go on asking It's no use telling you anything Interesting."
"Picar"--I'm and to kraw." I pleaded,
It took several minutes to talk Mully into a happier trame of mind, and she muttered a good deal about the inferior sort of husband ousarving women variably But landed with, before
11:1-
He and his friends could eat the condescended in repeat her
"She only fortells important things."
"You'll pivbably think it in- portant when the lights are cut off, and we have to sit round a candle,"
Molly ignored this willy re- kvinder.
"Only two days ago, she told old Mrs Grey that a dark man
well for five lire (in these days previous nanarks, When i got would call upon her, and whea
she'd been so Mrs Grey got home.....
of inflation Just over a penny)the gist of what
and wine was nearly as cheap anxious to lippart, it didn't seem water. At his favourite to me of much importance,
Trattoria a few cents would ba
knocked off the bill because he
"Mra Walters is simply won-
and his friends would wash up derhul at foretelling the future
their cutlery and plates before
their meal.
All his waking hours Annigoni worked. Even at meat times he
-"she began. "Who's Mrs Walters?"
"There you Po
、aketched on the white marble never listen."
zable tops.
"The coolman had come at last" i suggested.
"If you're going to be silly...' said Molly fiercely.
"Couldn't resist it," i said. "But how does this Mrs What- ad- again-you d'you-call-it receive this
vance information?”
★
☆★
very
Walters really foresees what's going to happen It's a gift of A told the Gunters
course,
they would con. Inta money. and they won a suividend on the football pools," Molly persisted
"Bul Gunter won unly lour teen and sixpence was that week when there wore twenty drawn games," 1 objected.
Walters "Well, Mrs
couldn't be expected to icnow that,"
"If she did she'd certainly be in the money herself," I ngretdi. "There you are, you've admitted there's something 153 it.” Molly is the most logical
woman I've ever encountered. "It's nothing short of marvel- lous,"
"Lask there's nothing to this teacup business," I said. "I used to be quite good at it myself.”
"Nonsensel" said Molly jofti-
ly.
basis for a show she's been dying
to see.
By this time, Molly was co- Vinced Li my powers gesty AxQueued (se of Mrs Walters, And when I told her on Toura- I'd receive a long- only that awaited rise in salary and sue would get an extra thirty shill- Ings
month housekeeping money. she regarded me with positive awe.
I winter 11 Saturday before telling her the firm was sending me to Manchasser next week w check up on an order that had gone astray-thus completing vie annument of my amazing prù. phecies.
Molly was absolutely bowled over. The whole coal of events was 100 strong to be explained by cumcidence. I ouɑn't tell her I'd been pretty certain of all my tacts eve my juruné-lemang act, and for some days sne listen-
ed to my most casual remarka
with rapt attention.
Of course, it was too good to
"I studied the dress in Molly's las. São mua naye been inunk- cup.
ing things out wr persen, 10- Causo yésterany sho gizaten me with exceptiini sweunxess be. lore firing u broadside,
wil
You
Ah,
"She reads toxcups.
Go on- "Hmm, interesting. A fair laugh but it always comes man
cross your path right. She saw trouble coming to wonder who that can be? Mrs Barnes, and Hughie Barnes will have a disappointmen
that's bad. What's this?
Some slight financial
the end forescen gain towards trouble for all the other mothers woolt, and someone very close to In the road, while she was about you will shortly be going on a' it. Hughie was playing with the journey."
"I know - the woman just caught chleiten-poor the down the road. The one with next day!" the harassed-looking husband,"
Later in the evening the talk would become more impassioned. Amigoni, a man of immence physical strength, would crash his fist on the table to emphasise a point. The bill would ba frequently doublect "to provide of memory.
¡table top."
mow
might have
"Sho I recalled, with a brilliant effort
"I can't think why he or any
I'm
Com potter -- a pleasant want, for any birthday, Sne.saw
of the
*Mrs Walters tells going to get just the present 1 the whore taing most clearly."
What Molly wants s a dress that I can't really afford to give her. But I'm`in a dilemme, it
The pleces, however, wend other husband should look rest of the kids only yesterday."- Molly tried not to look kn- I don't buy it, she'll think I'm
nover, thrown away. The owner harmed, said my dear one I mid, kept them and today has a large warmly. "It's the wives that colloption of Annigon! drawings have all the wordles.”
on marble.
A
pressed.
⠀ -... mean, and I soull feel that way Mes Bamos belloves fresh air day, my old icleod Farberry, that I bollove Mrs Walters ever The very next evening, Tues myself. If I do buy it, it'll look Bait Mrs. Waters le tight--not is the bis) cure for all illness,”
who is doflattdy fair-headed,
mentioned the subject," "That's bad luck for people looked in to see how we ware with other beliefs."
-after not·stelang/un, för nourly a
year. He phamed me ta Monday ed est "We're not, dlactisting: Mrs, morning to zảy fie, was coining, things quite clearly, and they Barnes at the moment. What but Molly" didn't #aspect, that,
"Yes, dear. But what about At this time Annigoni, made Mrs Walters?" two friends who were: to
become his constant companions,
"Bho tells fortubes, and abo's and an incongruous" trió” they knply marvaiknes." She sees
1
I wish they'd never discover
(COPTRIOME)
The painting was eventually sold to an art dealer in Florence, but
Annigoni still has one memento-the general's combat Jacket, which he left hanging on the studio door. It is now his favourite painting smock.
(COPYRIGHT)
NEXT SATURDAY: What Churchill Told Annigoni
"APPOR QUIT
MUPSTY
P
BLACK & WHITE
EDICE
SUCHACH WHEBATE.
OLD
A gold watch
for little more than the
price of a stainless steel watch
The Rolex "Golden Egg" hna all the prestige and good looks of a gold watch, because the front of the Oyster case is covered with a thick layer of solid gold. But un- derneath there is steel, giving strength and keeping the proc down. The movement is wonder- fully accurate and is permanently protected from water, dust and all other harmful elements by the 100% waterproof Oyster case.
Officially cortified
Chronometer
ROLEX
OENEVA
• SWITZERLAND
gd_9*Sept, 1956 LEIPZIG FAIR
Sample Fair induding an offer of technical consumer goods
Par furkkus (nformation apply 500
LEIPZIGER MESSEAMT - LEIPZIG CI HAINSTRASSE 18
DISTINCTION
through blending
From a variety of individual whiskies the blender selects those with the characteristics he desires. Carefully?! and skilfully he blends them.
In the correct proportions to achieve
the quality and flavour for which "Black & White" is famous.
BLACK&WHITE
SCOTCH WHISKY
"BUCHANAN'S
By Appointment to
Scotch Whisky Divillers
માં
The Secret is in the Blending
JAMES BUCHANAN & CO. LTDU GLAIGOW, SCOTLAND
Sole Distributors: DODWELL & CO., LTD.