Part 5 (2/2)
On March 29th and 30th, 1874, came my first ”Studio Sunday” and Monday, and on the Tuesday the poor old ”Roll Call” was sent in I watched the men take it down my narrow stairs and said ”_Au revoir_,” for I was disappointed with it, and apprehensive of its rejection and speedy return So it always is with artists We never feel we have fulfilled our hopes
The two show days were very tiring Somehow the studio, after church time on the Sunday, was crowded Good Dr Pollard hired a ”buttons” for me, to open the door, and busied hih so tired It was ”the thing” in those days to -in day”
Mr Galloway's agent came, and, to my intense relief, told me the picture went far beyond his expectations He had been nervous about it, as it was through hi it
On receiving the agent's report, Mr Galloway sent reed to The copyright was e Not a dab with a brush, and ht such church ceremonial as our poor little Ventnor St Wilfrid's could not aspire to A little, for Dr Pollard had a fine piece of news to tell me First, Elmore, RA, had burst out to hi that all the Academicians are in quite a commotion about it, and Elmore wants to et 500 for 'The Roll Call'! I little expected to have such early and gratifying news of the picture which I sent in with such forebodings After Dr P had delivered this broadside of Eluns to bear upon me which compelled me to sink into a chair It is a note from Herbert, RA, in answer to a few lines which kind Father Bagshawe had volunteered to write to hi Committee, just simply to let me know, as soon as convenient, whether my picture was accepted or rejected The note is as follows:
'DEAR MISS THOMPSON,--I have just received a note froshawe of the Oratory in which he wished me to address a few lines to you on the subject of your picture in the RA To tell the truth I desired to do so a day or two since but did not for two reasons: the first being that as a custos of the RA
are for a tier to you and you would hear what I wished to say froshawe's note, and the decision being over, I reeted the picture and the painter of it when it cament It was simply this: I was so struck by the excellent work in it that I proposed we should lift our hats and give it and you, though, as I thought, unknown to enerally done You no ard to your work, and ers that it shall be _perfectly seen_ on our walls
I am tired and hurried, and ask you to excuse this very hasty note, but _accept ratulations_, and
Believe me to be, dear Miss Thompson,
Most faithfully yours,
J R HERBERT'
I trotted off at once to show Father Bagshawe the note, and then left for home with my brilliant news”
While at home at Ventnor I received from many sourcesin London ast those ere behind the scenes Hoas ”the talk of the clubs” and spoken of as the ”co picture of the year,” ”the hit of the season,” and all that kind of thing Friends wrote to ive me this pleasant news from different quarters Ventnor society rejoiced most kindly I went to London to what I call in the Diary ”the scene ofhouse I had better let the Diary speak:
”_'Varnishi+ng Day,' Tuesday, April 28th_--My real feelings as, laden like last year, with palette, brushes and paint box, I ascended the great staircase, all alone, thoughmen similarly equipped tothe top stairs I sighed to h the winter, what has it been for? That youan unsatisfactory picture on the Academy walls for people to stare at' I tried to feel indifferent, but had not to , for I soon espied my dark battalion in Room _II on the line_, with a knot of artists before it Then begana second-class triu so perfectly satisfactory and so like the realisation of a castle in the air as the events of this day
It would be impossible to say all that was said to me by the swells
Millais, RA, talked and talked, so did Calderon, RA, and Val Prinsep, asking ure and that Herbert, RA, hung about me all day, and introduced hly Tom Taylor had spoken to him of the picture Mr S, our Ro on doing so lest I should spoil my new velveteen frock At lunchti house to fetch a sketch of a better Russian helmet I had done at Ventnor, to replace the bad one I had been obliged to put in the foreground froram home to say the picture was on the line I could hardly do the little hel and questioning artists and starers I by no htful is it to be an object of interest to so lum that day In the most distant rooms people steered towards ood_ a picture next year' was Millais' answer to my expressed hope that next year I should do better This was after overhearing Mr C tell ht be elected ARA if I kept up to the mark next year O'Neil, RA, seemed rather to deprecate all the applause I had to-day and, shaking his head, warned ers of sudden popularity I know all about _that_, I think
”_Thursday, April 30th_--The Royalties' private view The Prince of Wales wants 'The Roll Call' It is not ive it up
”_Friday, May 1st_--The to-lorious private view of 1874 I insert here my letter to Papa about it:
'DEAREST ----, I feel as though I were undertaking a really difficult work in atte to describe to you the events of this most memorable day I don't suppose I ever can have another such day, because, however great my future successes may be, they can never partake of the character of this one It is reat success As Tom Taylor told me to-day, I have suddenly burst into faain It has a character peculiar to all _first things_ and to theoes to the Private View
Well, the greater part of the _elite_ have been presented to ratulation on their lips and the same warm shake of the hand ready to follow the introductory boas not at all disconcerted by all these bigwigs The Duke of Westminster invited me to come and see the pictures at Grosvenor House, and the old duchess of Beaufort was so delighted with ”The Roll Call” that she asked me to tell her the history of each soldier, which I did, the knot of people which, by the bye, is always before the picture swelling into a little crowd to seeGalloway's tall figure was al That poor man, he was sadly distracted about this Prince of Wales affair, but the last I heard from him was that he _couldn't_ part with it
Sonew told hi he asked, but he refused those offers without a raphed to his wife at Manchester, as he says women can decide so ives him till the dinner to-morrow to make up his lan's daughters to me, ere pleased with the interest I took in their father Old Kinglake was also introduced, and we had a coe assembly where you are perpetually interrupted in your conversation by fresh arrivals of friends or new introductions Do you reerations of popularity? How strange it felt to-day to be realizing, in actual experience, what you warned s You need not be afraid that I shall forget What I _do_ feel is great pleasure at having ”arrived,” at last The great banker Bunbury has invited me and a friend to the ball at the Goldsht He is one of the wardens Oh! if you could only come up in time to take me Col Lloyd Lindsay, of Alma fame, and his ild to have ”The Roll Call” She shyly told me she had cried before the picture But, for enthusiasnew beat them all He came up to be introduced, and spoke in such expressions of admiration that his voice positively shook, and he said that, havingthis work, he would feel ”proud and happy”
if I would paint hiht be, being left entirely to me Sir Richard Airey, the man rote the fatally misconstrued order on his holster and handed it to Nolan on the 25th October, 1854, was very cordial, and showed that he took a keen pleasure in the picture I told him I valued a Crimean man's praise more than anybody else's, and I repeated the observation later to old Sir Williaton under similar circumstances, and to other Crimean officers One of them, whose father was killed at the assault on the Redan, pressed me very hard to consent to paint hi more till I have worked out my already too numerous commissions, old ones, at the horrible old prices
Sir Henry Thoeon, I understand, was very polite, and introduced his little daughter who paints Lady Salisbury had a long chat with ence on art matters
Many others were introduced, or I to theotten some of their naue, I don't knoho is who The others gave ht