THE ART SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9434, 4 June 1896, Page 5

THE ART SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION.

AMONGST THE PICTURES.

Fourtu Nones,

Referring now to our own artists, •* King of the Castle " (1), by Miss E. E. Munnings, ia full of life. The figures are well drawn, and generally the picture is a successful one. In '« Autumn Leaves" (27), the artist has taken advantage of the crimson tints of autumn foliage, aud gives us a well painted reproduction of Virgimau creeper, the bronze and colour of winch is capitally done. " Study of Boy's Head '* (62), is also a very artistic picture. There is considerable decision in the treatment aud tho tlesh tints are well dove. " Study of a Girl's Head " (227), is au artistic picture. The artist has been very successful in the introduction of light effect, which materially improves the tone of the picture. Mis 3 Stoddart contributes several flower pictures, all of which are of high merit, fully indicating Miss Stoddart's undoubted claim to be regarded as facile princSps in flower studies. Her picture, •' Pear blossom" (263), iaau exemplification of delicate hatv.Uiug aud artistic completeness. " A jar of roses " (271), iv which the artist haa a wonderfully clever contrast of colour in the groeu of the leaves with the delicate colours of the flowers. " Field Flowers" (276) is a clever combination of reds, blues aud whites, in which the colours ara wonderfully contrasted, inakiue aa effective and artisti-cally-baiancad picture. Iv " Chrysinthemums " (208) tho aitiso has cleverly introduced a spray of Virginian creeper, the colour of which shows up the bronze of the queeu of autumn flowers. " Roses aud Clematis - ' (321) is a five study of roses and New Zealand clematis, which is exuelleutly painted. " A Spray of Rases " (529) enables Miss Stodduit to show her thorough mastery of the technique of flower pointing. In "Sheep Country" (337) Miss Stoddart eviuces considerable power iv landscape painting. The land of ilia brown tussock is capit.Uly pourtrayed, the fLkx iv the foreground especially beiug admirably painted. While the flower studies by Miss Stoddait, which have already been referred to, aro of a high ttaudard of merit the best is perhaps the last to come under uotico, **- Waterlilies " (349). This is beautifully paiuted. Miss Thompson has a very good study "Liiium Aur&tum" (77), and had Mr J. Smith not crowded his picture with details, '" Springtime " (61), so much it would havo beeu a success. Mrs Lily Maddeu sends some clever cat studies, of which the best is undoubtedly " The cat that mado the mica turn pale " (52). The drass of tie girl iv tins is excellently done. Miss G. Culliloid's " By the Sea " (50) is a charmiug little picture, the vegetatiou in the foreground and the sea baiug well painted. Her flower piece, "Houeysuckle" (22), lis a good bit of conscientious work. "Sweet Eyed Pausies " (96) is well paiuted, but the subject is somewhat small for the large canvas, aud this dwarfs it a good deal. The other flower studies by the same artist show considerable skill. Miss Pilkiugton has a good fk-wer piece, «* Gladioli" (58). Mr E. Clark has been successful in his "Old House (47). Miss E. Slater's " Among the Sandhills " (49), which bears a "sold" ticket, is well done, the sky fiffdefcs and the patches of bright yellow gorse especially so. Two pictures by the late VV. E. F«tirholme "Mount Aspiring" (36 and 43) evince a considerable amount of painstaking, artistic work. Mia3 Mabel Collier's " Petunias" (35) deserves a word of praise. Mr Kirkwood has a bold, free painting. "Cliffs —Great Barrier" (52), aud Miss Teenie Davis sends a well painted flower panel, " Clematis" (99). It would, however, have greatly improved the picture had the flowers bßen painted down to the bottom of it, leaving the vacant space at the top. "Low Tide, Nelson," (213) is noticeable for the cleverly painted sunset effect. Miss Culliford h-v-* hardly made enough of "Buttercups" (236), which is to be regretted, as the Sowers are well aud naturally painted, but thereis nofcsufficientof them to fill the picture. Mr Bull's " Alpine Lake" (245) is noticeable for the artistic treatment of the foliage, Miss N. Gardner has a good picture, : A1 Okuhuru .Valley " (251), in which tne sun.----801 effects ou the hills are well done, Mrs Claude Sawtell's " Chrysanthemums " (2R2) is a charmingly artistic picture, the flowers being paiuted with sucu naturalness and freedom, whilst tho contrast of colour is admirable. Mr T. Cane is to the fore with one of his artistic reproductions of the rustic bits of the Old Country in " Mayfield, Susiex " (270), which is well worth inspeotion. Mr Crocker's "Sunset on the Flat, New Brighton" (261) shows marks of much artistic ability. The afterglow seen through the haZB is well done. "Mr G. H. Elliot sends a fine bit of forest scenery, "A Peep at Lake Mahinapua" (279), the foliage in which is artistically done. Mr Gibb'a "Winter Scene—Spreydon " (314) is good, the sky particularly so. Miss Stevenson sends a good picture of the oft-painted "Sumner Beach" (317). In "Cloudy Peak " (322) Miss B. D. Acland has beeu exceedingly successful in her perspective, the range of mountains in the background being artistically done. Mis 3N. Gardner's picture "Creek at Castle Hill" is good, the foliage particularly so. A capitally punted picture is Mr,G. Herbert Elliott's "Monut Cook, Early Morning " (316). The picture is taken from Lake Mahinapua, and the artist has been very successful in infusing iuto his picture that peculiar light just preceding daylight, or rather suuriae.