ART IN NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8542, 24 July 1893, Page 6

ART IN NEW ZEALAND.

TO THB EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Siß, —In your issue of Friday a correspondent who stgus himself " Not an Artist" falls foul of Mr W. Menzies Gibb because of some remarks the latter made on the subject of Christchurch art and artists, and Mr Tennyson Cole's opinions of them, as referred to in "Topics of the . Day" recently. Mr Gibb inferred, with some reason, that Mr Cole had not seen the work by the Chriatchurch artists, aud that he passed his strictures on the " Milford Sound School" on the strength of a knowledge alone of the Wellington men's work. " Not au Artist "says:—" Would it surprise Mr Gibb to learn that Cole did see the pictures of our local hence hi* remarks." I can assure " Not an Artist" that it would very much surprise not only Mr Gibb, but a good many other people. I know that Mr Cole did not visit the studios of Messrs W. M. Gibb, Madden and . Sprott. I don't think he visited those of Mr John Gibb and Miss Stoddart. I know that he did not visit the School of Art, and I am equally sure that he did not see the Art Society's Exhibition. This leaves him the picture shops, and at that time of year I understand that neither Messrs Fisher nor Gibb had ou hand anything like a good collection of the works of local artists. All this seems to support Mr Gibb's contention that Mr Cole did not see the work at present being done in Christchurch, and, therefore, that in speaking as he did he was rather unjust to our local men.

" Not an Artist" speaks of Mr W. M. Gibb as one who has stayed close to home. Since I have known Mr Gibb he has visited the We_t Coast Sounds, the Southern Lakes, Mount Cook, the West Coast, Kaikoura and the Wellington district, none of which places are particularly " close to home," aud, as most people kuow, he has been successful iv his treatment of the beauties of each place—a good deal more so in the opiniou of people who know something about pictures than some of " those noble pioneers who have spent two or three months of every year for years past, living among the sounds and fiords of the West Coast, and verily drinking in the marvellous scenery," and whose sketches of that scenery are a good deal more marvellous than the scenery itself. .What might be called the "photograph" age of painting is now passing away here and instead we are getting each year more of the true nature of art, showing us beauties in every day scenes, which, because they are every day, have hitherto passed almost unnoticed. "Not an Artist" speaks of the English artists, but he must have forgotten if he ever knew, that the grandeur of Switzerland is much more get-at-able, both in point of time and money, to the English artist than the West Coast Sounds are to a New Zealander, and yet the Euglish artist (vide this year's Academy), prefers as a rule to paint the quiet beauties round hmy Did "Not an Artist" ever hear of a French painter named Miilett. His native country is full of the most picturesque scenery, from the wild grandeur of Brittany and the mountains of the eastern border to the soft Lotos laud on the Mediterranean shores, and yet Millet achieved undying fame by painting the humblest peasants at their daily toiL That school rather than the photographic one should be, aud will be, thanks to our young artists, the school of our Christchurch men.—l am, &_.,

Pakeha.