Madam, - Loyalty is an admirable quality and one displayed by Douglas Sealy with regard to the late painter Derek Hill. Almost 40 years ago, when this newspaper's then-art critic Brian Fallon wrote a less-than-fulsome review of Hill's travelling retrospective exhibition, Mr Sealy responded with an indignant letter in defence of the artist. Now he writes again (September 27th) about my review of Bruce Arnold's new biography of Hill (Weekend Review, September 11th).
I would respectfully suggest that in his eagerness to defend the posthumous reputation of Derek Hill Mr Sealy did not read my words as carefully as one might hope he read the new biography. At no point did I accuse Derek Hill of being out of fashion. Where serious consideration of art is concerned, transitory fashion is an irrelevancy. Nor indeed did I, as Mr Sealy proposes, disparage Hill, unless of course anything less than gushing praise is deemed disparagement. Mr Sealy seems to believe that observing someone possesses "considerable technical abilities" is an insult; were this comment to be made of my own work, I would regard it as a compliment.
- Yours, etc,
ROBERT O'BYRNE, Ardbraccan, Co Meath.