FINE ARTS.

SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY'S WILL

THE munificent bequest by Sir FRANCIS CHANTREY of the bulk of his petsonal property for the encouragement of British painting and

sculpture, is too important an event in the annals of art to be silently

recorded : the publication by a contemporary (the Athenteum) of the will entire, excepting the clauses merely technical, affords us, without

intrusiveness, the desired opportunity of stating the express conditions of the bequest, and of estimating its influence upon the fine arts of the country. This remarkable document is otherwise interesting and characteristic : it is very precisely worded, and the fulfilment of the testator's purpose is most carefully guarded against contingencies. The document is much too long for insertion in our columns, crowded with many subjects ; but the following sketch of its principal provisions will suffice for the understanding of its main object.

After directing his body to he interred in his vault in the churchyard of Norton, in Derbyshire, Sir Francis Chantrey bequeaths to each of his executors, Charles Stokes, George Jones, and Charles Hampden Turner, Esquires, 2,0001.; empowering them to destroy such of his drawings, models, and casts, as they may consider not worthy of being preserved. and to engage Mr. Henry. Weekes to complete such works as they shall decide upon, under the super-

intendence of his "friend and assistant Allan Cunningham." To Mr.

Cunningham is left 2,0001., and to Mr. Weekes 1.000/., payable on the com- pletion of their respective tasks; during the execution of which they are to receive their usual stipends, and Mr. Weekes is to continue in the occupation, rent-free, of Sir Francis's residence: in the event of Mr. Weekes's death before the conclusion of his labours, his representatives are to have 500/. ; and in a codicil, an annuity of 100/. per annum is settled on Mr. and Mrs. Cunning- ham. The whole of Sir Francis Cbantrey's effects, estates, and other real property, subject to the payment of debts, legacies, and duty thereon, (all the bequests being free of legacy-duty,) and the expenses of completing his works, is left to his widow, Lady Chantrey, and her heirs ; his money in the Funds, Government, and other securities, and other "pure personal property," being left to the executors in trust for the benefit of Lady Chantrey- during her life,

unless she should marry again, in which ease she is to receive an annuity of

1,000/. per annum. At the death or the marriage of his widow, the personal property becomes chargeable with annuities of 300/. per annum to Mr. Stokes and 200/. to Mr. Jones ; and with a yearly sum of 200/. to the resident clergyman of Norton, "so long as my tomb shall last, and expressly- with the view of having my said tomb preserved from destruction," upon trust to pay out of the 200/. 50/. per annum to the resident schoolmaster of Norton, who, being a member of the Established Church, shall instruct ten poor boys of the parish free of expense ; and 10/. per annum to each of five poor men and five poor women of the parish; the pupils and pensioners to be named by the

clergyman, who for his trouble is to retain the other 50/ a year: it is expressly stipulated that each of these payments shall be made only "so long as my tomb

shall last." The residue of the "pure personal property" is to be "devoted to the encouragement of British tine art, in painting and sculpture only," in the manner following. The trustees to pay over the proceeds annually to the President and Treasurer of the Royal Academy, "or of any other society or association which, in the event of the title Royal' being withdrawn by the Crown, or of the Royal Academy being dissolved, or its denomination altered, may be formed by the persons who may be the last members of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, whatever may be the denomination assumed by such last members": 300/. per annum to be retained by the President, and 50/. per annum by the Secretary, "on condition that such Secretary shall attend

the meetings of my trustees, and keep in a book, to be preserved by them, a regular account of all the proceedings." The residue to be laid out by the

President and Council of the Academy, "in the purchase of works of fine art of the highest merit in painting and sculpture that can be obtained, either already executed or which may hereafter he executed by artists of any nation, provided such artists shall have actually resided in Great Britain during the execution and completing of such works; it being my express direction that no work of art, whether executed by a deceased or living artist, shall be purchased. unless the same shall have been entirely executed within the shores of Great Britain." It is further stipulated that the prices to be paid for such works "shall be liberal," that the preference shall be given to works of the highest intrinsic merit, no personal considera- tions fur artists or their circumstances influencing the choice ; that no com- missions or orders shall be given ; and that the works purchased shall be publicly exhibited for at least a mouth; the names of the members of the Council who voted for or against the purchases hieing entered in a book for the inspection of the trustees. It is not made compulsory on the Academy to lay out the money annually : upon occasion it may he accumulated for a period not exceeding five years. The works of art so purchased are to be "collected for the purpose of forming and establishing a Public National Collection of British Fine Art in

Painting and Sculpture," in the "confident expectation" that the Government

or the country will provide a suitable building for their exhibition as the pro- . perty of the nation. This object the President and the Council of the Academy are desired to use all their endeavours to carry into effect ; but no portion of the bequest is to be applied to providing any thing beyond a temporary place of security until a proper building is erected. In case of the dissolution of the Academy, or its representative body, the trustees are empowered to obtain the sanction of Parliament for some scheme for devoting the annual income "for ever" toaards the encouragement of British fine art ; and Lady Chantrey is earnestly requested to apply for an Act of Parliament for settling the real and mixed estate upon the same trusts, subject to her life-interest. At the death of Lady Chantrey, the trustees are to be increased to five by the addition of the President and Treasurer of the Royal Academy for the time being; each trustee receiving on his appointment 100/. The will is dated the 31st December 1840; and the codicil 34 November 1841—only three weeks previous to the death of Sir Francis. The value of the personal property is sworn to be under 90,000/.