"I made drawing my principle study for a great many years, and consider myself at liberty to depart from mere correctness if necessary for my purpose; especially if the incorrectness resulting be more apparent than real. The accompanying figure, traced from the drawing, as you can verify, will show that the disproportion is not much less than you imagined, and that the stretch of limb is perfectly possible; at the same time I think it most probable that it would be objected to, and I do not ask you to risk condemnation, and by no means wish you to keep the drawing; but if I do anything for you, or anybody else, I must carry out my own sentiment.
"I remain, Gentlemen, "Yours very truly, "G. F. WATTS."
Unstinted praise ought also to be given to the ten contributions of Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A. For conception of subject, beauty of design, and wonderful manipulation, they must all be regarded as fine examples of Scriptural art. We must specially mention the drawings from "The Life of Joseph": "Joseph Distributing the Corn," "Pharaoh Honours Joseph," and "Joseph Presents his Father to Pharaoh." From the latter design he painted for us a most exquisite water colour drawing. Then, again, "Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh," "Miriam," and "Daniel's Prayer," are all remarkable for purity of treatment.
[Illustration: JOSEPH PRESENTS HIS FATHER TO PHARAOH. BY SIR E. J. POYNTER, P.R.A.
_By permission of Messrs. Herbert Virtue & Co., Ltd._ FROM "DALZIEL'S BIBLE GALLERY."]
While arranging subjects for illustration for the "Bible" we received the following note:
"62 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, "_November 6th, 1865_.
"DEAR DALZIEL,--May I do the following subjects from the Psalms?--
"(1) 'David singing praises to the harp,' to be put either as a heading to the Book of Psalms or to illustrate any of the Hymns of Praise and Thanksgiving.
"(2) 'David penitent,' or a figure of 'Penitence,' to head the Fifty-first Psalm. I have made sketches for these, which I think will do. Something, I think, might be made of the following, although I have no decided notion upon them as yet:
"(3) 'The Heavens declared,' etc.--_Psalm xix. 21._
"(4) 'Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil,' etc., etc., etc.--_Psalm xxiii. 4._