THE SOCIETY OF ARTS EXHIBITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 3971, 20 April 1883, Page 3

THE SOCIETY OF ARTS EXHIBITION.

(To tho Editor.)

Sißl,—lt is common for a certain class of artists and art critics to condemn local accuracy in a painting, forgetting that the utist has, in a young country like New Zealand, a doable duty to perform. He lias not only ts produce a good picture, but ditto bring into prominence the peculiar beauties of oar. island Home. A recent writer upon American art says, and the Wotdsare equally applicable to New Zeahud:_« L e( i by an unseen handt the landMape,.'painters of America hate conr tribnted to further this grand result" (the colonisation of the country); 'land never before has there been a nobler op-. Portunity afforded the artist to aid,in the growth of his native land, and to feelithat, while miaisteriDg to his owu love of the sublime and beautiful, he was at the same lime a teacher and co-worker with the Pioneer, the man of science, and the soldier, »nb cleared, surveyed, and held .this m !Rhty continent and brought it under the aild sway of civilisation, The people aBP'fed to learn not only statistical facts regarding their heritage, but aUoita scenic ''tractions. r* othing wag ■ amiss wbich wiud add to the sum of their knowledge of lie subject. And thus the artist had a Mission marked out for him magnificent in w possibilities it offered." And he instances Thomas Moran, who was one of the, founders of the American School of. rsinttng, and whose magnificent pictures of the Grand Canon of the Yellowstone and Grand Chasm of the Colorado were both purchased by Congress for a sum of §20,000, and hung in the capitol at Washington.—l C.B.