FINE PICTURES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 2, 4 January 1933, Page 5

FINE PICTURES.

AUCKLAND GALLERIES.) i ! BEST IN DOMINION. VALUABLE GIFTS. Many visitors from the country made their first acquaintance with Auckland's fine collection of pictures during the holidays. The province, and in fact the Dominion, is very fortunate in having two such galleries as the Mackelvic and the city. The Auckland City Art Gallery, which was the first permanent art gallery erected in the Dominion, was opened in February, 1888, 45 years ago next month, and it started with the collection left by Sir George Grey, a few pictures by local artists, and one or two others presented by Mr. J. McCosh Clark, Mr. Albin Martin and the Auckland Society of Arts. The City Gallery is administered by the Auckland City Council. Under the same roof is housed the Mackelvie Gallery. Many people have no idea that there are really two collections in the rooms in Kitchener Street. The juxtaposition arose from what must be regarded as a "polite fiction." James Tannock Mackelvie was a partner of Sir John Logan Campbell, and lived in Auckland from 1867 to 1872. He removed to London in the latter year, and died there in 1885. He left his art collection and a large sum of money to Auckland, one condition of the will being that a separate gallery should be erected to house the collection. As there was not then enough money in the fund to carry out the wish the difficulty was got over by the City Council building an addition to the City Gallery to house the gift, the proposal being ratified by the Supreme Court. The Mackelvie Gallery was opened in 1893. The money left by Mackelvie produces a sufficient sum to permit of the purchase of pictures from time to time, and in this way many excellent works have been added to his original collection. In addition to pictures the Mackelvie gift included many valuable objets d'art, now in the , museum.

Steadily Growing. Both the Mackclvic and the City collections have been steadily growing, and the accommodation was becoming quite inadequate, but in 1911 the situation was relieved as the municipal offices were then removed from Wellesley Street and transferred to the new Town Hall building in Queen Street. That left more room for the library and the art galleries in the old building. Again in 1914 there was a demand for more room, and £4000 was spent in building an additional gallery, which was opened at the end of 191(5. Accommodation is again becoming overtaxed, and the authorities have much difficulty in finding space for any new additions. The latest extension of the influence of the galleries is the opening of a print room, due to the energy of the enthusiastic dirctor, Mr. John Barr, who is also chief librarian. This room was the outcome of the exhibition of a fine loan collection of etchings, which, was the

first of a series of exhibitions —such as etchings, Japanese colour prints, bookplates—which brought the galleries into much closer touch with the public. In the same building as the galleries is housed the Lindauer collection of Maori studies., which are of first class hostorical importance. This collection was painted for the late Mr. H. E. Partridge, who subsequently transferred it to the city's keeping. Auckland has been very fortunate in her benefactors, and in the realms of art has been specially favoured. In addition to the munificent gifts of Grey and Mackelvio, there may be mentioned the £2500 left by E. A. Mackechnie for the erection of an art gallery for the Auckland Society of Arts; the £6500 left by Dr. Elam for the founding of the school of art that now hears his name; the many gifts of Mr. Moss Davis; and the statuary left by Mrs. Helen Boyd; in addition to which many individual gifts of pictures have been made by grateful citizens.