▁his ▁mist ress ▁– ▁Nature . ▁Wh atever ▁he ▁does ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁spot ▁and ▁there ▁only . ▁He ▁lives ▁and ▁pain ts ▁in ▁the ▁open ▁nine ▁months ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁twelve , ▁in ▁all ▁we athers , ▁sun sh ine ▁or ▁storm , ▁seeing ▁and ▁studying ▁Nature ▁in ▁every ▁visible ▁m ood .” ▁ ▁Within ▁Sir ▁Alfred ▁M unn ings ’ ▁aut obi ography ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁story ▁of ▁a ▁bet ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁with ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁Le eds ▁City ▁Art ▁Gallery ▁( which ▁has ▁ 3 1 ▁Bu xt on ▁Knight ▁paint ings ), ▁whether ▁Bu xt on ▁Knight ▁had ▁painted ▁‘ In gle borough ▁Hall , ▁York shire ’ ▁in ▁the ▁open ▁air , ▁which ▁the ▁Director ▁did ▁not ▁think ▁could ▁be ▁done . ▁It ▁trans p ired ▁with ▁M unn ings ▁tracking ▁down ▁a ▁retired ▁post man ▁in ▁the ▁neighbour ing ▁village ▁of ▁Cla ph am , ▁York shire , ▁who ▁confirmed ▁that ▁he ▁passed ▁Bu xt on ▁Knight ▁daily , ▁sat ▁off ▁the ▁foot path ▁working ▁on ▁the ▁big ▁painting . ▁One ▁day ▁the ▁post man ▁took ▁Bu xt on ▁Knight ▁a ▁letter , ▁which ▁he ▁opened ▁there , ▁saying ▁it ▁brought ▁him ▁bad ▁news ▁as ▁the ▁Royal ▁Academy ▁had ▁not ▁elected ▁him ▁as ▁Associ ate . ▁M unn ings ▁comments ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁“ a ▁story ▁of ▁the ▁dashed ▁hopes ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁our ▁fin est ▁landscape - p ain ters ; ▁a ▁story ▁reflect ing ▁little ▁credit ▁upon ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Academy .” ▁ ▁Within