CHAPTER VI
FREDERICK WALKER AND RUSKIN
IN little more than six weeks after Walker’s
death, his remaining works, his easels, cabinets,
and studio properties, were sold by Messrs. Christie,
Manson, & Wood on July 17, 1875. There were
142 lots in all, consisting chiefly of pencil and sepia
drawings, water-colour sketches, with studies and a
few unfinished pictures in oil and water. The sale
realised the satisfactory sum (considering the small
number of items) of over £3000. Before the sale
a meeting was held at the Arts Club, at which it
was resolved that all who felt affection for the man
or sympathy with his work should be invited to con-
tribute to a Walker memorial fund. A large and in-
fluential committee, including some of the brightest
names in British art, was at once formed, which
decided to hold an exhibition of Walker’s work.
From these an executive committee was chosen,
who at once went energetically to work. Owners
of pictures or drawings were at once communicated
with, and all without exception responded gener-
ously to the appeals for loans. Mr. Deschamps
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