Damn, Duel, Discovery

By itself a picture rarely makes news. Only when someone discovers it or destroys it, damns it or dotes on it does the public hear about it. Last week the following pictures made news in the following places:

P: In Toronto, the Canadian National Art Exhibition hung an Annunciation by one Evan Walters. In blue pajamas and halo the Virgin sits on a box. A Gabriel in bright yellow aviation suit points to the ceiling. Through the open door of the small shack may be seen Gabriel's airplane. Cried outraged clergymen: "Rotten! Ridiculous! Bad taste!" Director Fred Haines said that artists have often painted the Virgin in contemporary clothes, denied the picture would be removed.

P:In Lime Rock, Conn., Winslow Wilson painted two moppets called The Mora Children, heard his picture would have the place of honor at the annual art show. Opening day, Painter George Glenn Newell's cow picture Clear and Cold had the best place. Furious, Artist Wilson tore down the cow picture, hung up his own. Hour later the cow picture was back. Portraitist Wilson, with canvas, rushed away, opened a competing one-man one-picture show in an empty 18-room house, challenged Cow Painter Newell to a duel with canvas and brush, promised a $100,000 suit.

P:In Somerville, Mass., Sign Painter Jeremiah Christopher Leonard bought a Madonna and Child from a junk shop for $6. For three years the painting hung in the Leonard parlor. Then it was shown to a doctor friend, an art connoisseur, who promptly called in experts. Boston Fogg and Metropolitan Museum people agreed that the picture was 400 to 500 years old. One expert thought it might be the work of Antoni Allegri (1494-1534), known as Correggio. If so, Sign Painter Leonard's painting might be worth $150,000.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.