ART SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13377, 19 March 1909, Page 7

ART SOCIETY.

OPENING OF ANNUAL. EXHIBITION. The annual exhibition of the Canterbury Society of Arts—one of the best all-round exhibitions the Society has had—was opened last night by tho new president, Mr James Jamieson. A private view of the pictures had been arranged for the members of the Society and their friem'.s, and there was a large attendance. Same of the pictures are referred to elsewhere in a first notice, but it may be said that there is shown in the pictures exhibited a considerable advanco in the standard , of art. It is also exceedingly satisfactory to note that, this improvement is to a large extent in the work of the younger artists, thus proving that art education is having its due effect. The number of pictures on exhibition is SW&S. Iv the arts and crafts division <v the exhibition, the exhibits, which number IoU, including those for exhibition only, the same measure of improvement. , particularly in china painting and copper work, is noticeable. Another interesting feature is the work of the ten prize winners iv the stuCents , competition this year in connection with tlve School of Art.

Tlve president and members of the Council having ascended the <lais, tho proceedings of the evening began. PRESIDENTIAL, ADDRESS. The president, Mr James Jamieson, said they had met that evrtiing U> open the .twenty-ninth annual exhibition of the* Canterbury Society of Arts, and ho felt sure those present would, after an inspection of the exhibits, agree with him that the exhibition was j one of tho best, if not absolutely tho ] best, over held under the auspices of the Society. The exhibits were varied, and thorougltly representative in their character, and it was gratifying to see tho work of co many young New Zealand artists upon their wails, some of whom were in the Old "World studying j and making good progress in their profession. It was also particularly satisfactory to see again the works of two such Teteran artiste as Messrs P. Va,n Der Velden and John Gibb. In audition to the very excellent collection of paintinigs, other branches of art were represented this jear, viz., sculpture, porcelain decorations, art metal, enamel, and beaten copper work, and wood carving. The porcelain decoration department of art had made rapid strides in finish, and' any oi tho exhibits would bear favourable comparison with the products of tihe Old World centres, and the art metal and enamel work also was very tine. Many would remember "their enterprising friend, Mr Longden, who, whilst in charge of the British art exhibits at the. New Zealand' International Exhibition, prevailed, upon so many to purchase specimens of British metal and enamel work. Ho (the speaker) ventured to express the opinion that a comparison of tihe local work exhibited this year with the examples obtained from tho British art exhibit would be more than favourable to their own ertisrts. It was also very satisfactory to find tho prize competitions at the School of Art exhibited on that occasion. The thanks of the Society were due to the Trustees of the inte Hon. J. T. Peacock for the magnificent bequest made to them. It wue to be hoped that those who were in <i position to emulato this good example would make a note of this and assist the Society in its endeavour to build up an art collection worthy of the city. He thought the day had arrived when the Oity Council should subsidise, say, by £ for £ any expenditure rrnade by the Society out of its ordinary revenue or any special moneys raised for the purpose of purchasing pictures for the permanent collection. There were few institutions in. the country co deserving of financial assistance as "the Society , was, as its aim was to foster the artistic instincts of the community. The permanent collection in the Gallery would compare favourably with any collection 5a Australasia, taking their population into consideration, and he hoped to ceo t'io citizens taking an increased interest in it. One of his principal efforts during his year of office ■would be to endeavour to get the City Council to aid tjjo Society in making it still more worthy of Canterbury. Hβ thanked tho retiring president for his labours during the. year and , now declared the exhibition open. Those present then proceeded to examine the various exhibits, «nd light refreshments were dispensed. The exhibition'*will be open to-diav and this evening to the public.

AMONGST THE PICTURES. [No. I.] It is a happy augury for the success of the year of office of the new president of the Canterbury Society of Arts, Mr James Jamieson, whose unobtrusive labours in tho cause of art have been so zealous and valuable in the past, that the present Exhibition, the opening of which consituted his first official act, is, taken as a whole, of such a high standard of excellence. The improvement in all branches of art, as illustrated by' the exhibits, has been most marked, and the number of pictures of rare excellence—many oi them by youug New Zealand artists—is cause ior sincere congratulation. In one department of tue exhibition, that of numbering the exhibits, an improvement is sadly wanted. It is almost impossible to see tho somewhat faded tickets affixed, and an alteration in the system now adopted is a thing that should be considered by tho Council.

Mr John Gibb, the doyen of local artists, sends six exhibits. In " Mount Cook " (16) he has a very fine picture. The mountain in the background and the snowy ranges around it are examples of vigour and strength in painting, and the water and foliage in the foreground are well done. Tho blueness of the former, which is a characteristic of snow-fed streams, contrasts finely with tho snow-covered mountains. " Among the Reefs, Kaikoura " (20) is noticeable for the motion imparted to the sea. Tho painting of the towering Bluff headland on the right of tho picture is full of vigour, and the rocks in the foreground are excellent. In " After Rain, Otira Gorge " (28), the artist has a fine artistic effect in the mountain torrent fall, which is in the centre of the picture, and is admirably done. The dark masses of mountains forming the Gorge are powerfully painted, and the snow-clad mountains in the distance are very well done. In " Ship Chased by Revenue Cutters" (39), Mr Gibb has a subject which he has made particularly his own. His seascapes arc always excellent, and the picture under notice is no exception. The ship itself is admirably drawn, all the details being artistically done, and the gathering clouds in the background are especially well painted." The artist has also been successful in his delineation of the water, and in imparting to the sea that leaden colour betokening stormy weather. The mountain in the background of the picture " Mount Sefton and Old Hermitage" (363) is somewhat lacking in power, though some very good work is noticeable in connection with the details.

The ex-president of the Society, Mr AY. H. Montgomery, has a clover bit of colour-work in his picture, " A Portrait " (358). The. figure is well done, and the colouring of the background is artistically used to show up in strong relief the colour-note of the dress. The

details are well done, and the pioturo, as a whole, is v pleasing one. One ol the most noticeable pictures in the exhibition —indeed, it may be awarded pride of place above all tho others—is that seat by the velerau artiet Mr P. Van D«r Velden, "A Study" (129). It is a portrait of himself, and not only is it an excellent likeness, bttt the ivhclc picture is stamped with undoubted genius. Tho treatment of the flesh tints is artistic to a degree, and the expression ia splendidly brought out. The whole picture is full of life, and is well worth careful inspection.

Mr Golditr's Maori" pictures are, jus on former occasions, ■wonderfully clever and artistic reproductions of racial characteristics of tin? Maoris. "A Centenarian" (4o) is a picture which grows on one the more it is looked at. The artist possesses" that rare faculty in dealing with the flesh colour —great realism—the face, as it were, standing boldly out from the canvas. This ia particularly noticeable in the magnificent study of a head under notice. The realistic effect to which reference has been made is considerably increased by the excellent treatment of . the white hair of the head, w.hich throws the features into strong relief. Altogether the picture is quite equal to anything of the kind Mr Goldio hoe done. "'Fire and Smoke" (57) is perhaps the most remarkable picture ia tlie exhibition, the face having the Appearance of being in high relief. The strong light of the- fire falling on the features produces a wonderful effect, and all the details have been worked out splendidJy. Mr Goldie's finest picture, artistically, is undoubtedly "The Last Sleep," the title of which would have been more appropriately "The Majesty of Death."' It is that ot a Maori chieftaincss lying in state, and is very finely painted indeed. The features Are thrown up strongly by the note of colour in the green covering in the foreground, and huia feathers, which form a kind of coronet, in the background. Though perhaps the subject nipy not strongly appeal to the majority, the work in the exhibit is marked by high artistic ability and effect.

■Mrs Dagmar Huic chows great talent in the direction of aiiisial painting in her exhibit '-Flt-etfoot" (74). The charm of the picture is its naturalness. Frequently artists who essay to paiirt horees—except those who have achieved high reputation in this department of art—make their subjects stiff and hard. But Mrs Huie, in the exhibit under notice, has a really excellent picture. The same characteristic is notable in "Carting Wheat, Riverina, X.S.W." (SO). All the animals in the team are depicted in action, particularly the white one., which is essentially "t3ie willing horse/ and the result is a picture which at once strikes the eye. The background would have been better if in some neutral colour, and it is somewhat stiff. But this trifling defect is more than atoned for by the artistic power displayed in the picture as a whole. "in "Mistress Prue" (158) Mrs Huie has been very successful with the face and figure, and the details are excellent. The picture would have, been still more effective if the back of the seat had been carried right up so as to form the background. Had this been done, the colour note of the bonnet would have been shown up more sharply and strongly. Aβ it is, the strength °f this is somewhat neutralised by the lack of colour at the top of the background.

Mr B. Procter sends a very excellent collection of exhibits, in the majority of which strong contrasts of colour are used with marked effect. -"A Corner of the Rialto, Venice" (.42), is a striking example of this, and the work is excellent throughout. So also is the light effect in "A Venetian Street" (53), which is admirably done. In "An Adriatic Trader" (116) the light and shadows on th«* water are worked out with Tβmarkable ability. "Moraine liighfc, Venice" (124) is one of the gems of the exhibition. Jt is full of fine. bold, strong work, and the whole nieture is remarkaly well painted. In "The Orange Sail" (130) Mr Procter evinces much artistic ability in handling light effects, those on the sails of the boat being excellently manned. A fine note of colour is brought out very vividly in "The Bed Boat, Venice" (140). The background -would havo been improved had a little more strength been infused into it, but, a* a whole, the picture is highly artistic. "Venetian Sottoporticos" (141) is a fine study of perspective, admirably worked out. The figure in the- foreground is well painted, and the light effect jn the background is excellent. "A Doorway on the Guidecca, Venice" (341) is a capital bit of colour work. The water is particularly well done, and the archway in the background is full of strength.