Sir
HUGH PERCY LANE, Saloon Class Passenger
image: New
York Times,
Saturday 8 May 1915, Page 3.
Sir Hugh Lane, 39, was native to County Cork, Ireland. He was was
born 9 November 1875. As a child, Lane did not have the same
physical well-being as other boys. Therefore, while his brothers
were playing sports outdoors, Hugh spent his time looking at paintings.
His aesthetic youth led him to plan on creating a gallery of
pictures, an ambition that he would have all his life.
Lane approached the city of Dublin to build a modern art gallery on a
bridge over the River Liffey. The Dublin Corporation refused,
citing that the dampness of the river would harm the paintings, and
that the building would spoil the river view. In protest, Lane
loaned his collection
of contemporary French, Italian, and English works to the National
Gallery
in London.
Later, Lane was appointed Director of the National Gallery of Ireland.
Before leaving for America, he wrote a codicil to his will
stating that his paintings would go to the city of Dublin should a
suitable building be found for them in five years. In a curious
oversight, this codicil was not witnessed.
In the United States, Lane won a contract for a portrait by John Singer
Sargent in a Red Cross Rally. Before boarding the Lusitania,
Lane told reporters, "I already have asked the most beautiful woman in
England to pose for the portrait."
Traveling with Lane were Charles and Frances Fowles, fellow art connoisseurs.
Also with Lane were circular lead containers containing the paintings
of Monet, Rembrandt, Rubens, and Titian. Lord Duveen had set up a
deal that would lead to the paintings' eventually exposition at
Dublin's National Gallery. The paintings were insured for $4
million.
Onboard the Lusitania, Lane was seen playing cards with Lady Marguerite Allan and Dr. Frederick Pearson. On the day of
the disaster, Sir Hugh Lane was seen on deck looking out to Ireland
before going down to the dining saloon.
Sir Hugh Lane did not survive the disaster and his body was not
recovered. The paintings with him also went down with the ship.
At London's Euston Station, a woman in black inquired of all passengers
disembarking from trains if they knew what happened to Sir Hugh Lane.
None could provide her with any news.
In the summer of 1994, diver Polly Tapson claimed to have identified
the containers in which the paintings were. As the tubes were
sealed,
the canvases may have survived. The Irish arts minister quickly
placed a Heritage Protection Order on the Lusitania wreck and
its contents, the first for a ship under 100 years old.
Contributors:
William Graham
References:
Ballard, Dr. Robert and Spencer Dunmore. Exploring the Lusitania.
Warner Books, 1995.
Hickey, Des and Gus Smith. Seven Days to Disaster.
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1981.
Hoehling, A. A. and Mary Hoehling. The Last
Voyage of the Lusitania. Madison Books,
1956.
Preston, Diana. Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy.
Berkley Books, 2002.
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