The Press. SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1909. OPENING DAY AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 13411, 1 May 1909, Page 8

The Press. SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1909. OPENING DAY AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

To-day, the first of May, tho RoyaJ Academy opens its doors to tho London public, and till August Ist a constant stream of people pay their shillings and crowd into its spacious halls to criticise, denounce, or enjoy the year's labour of many of the best living artists. But before the- public can be admitted, how much has gone on behind the scenes only the initiated know. By March Ist all contributors must have sent in their canvasses to be judged by the oommittee of the tcademicians and associates. The well-

known artists, with tho coveted R.A. (Royal Academician) after their nanieo, have the right of sending in no fewer than eight pictures each, which must j be hung, however slender their merit; |and the newly-made aeaelomicians are obliged to present a diploma work, which finally is placed in the national collection. When one considers that nearly 1500 pictures are actually hung, and thousands rejected, and that hundreds are accepted provisionally, wo can see how enormous must be th* work. Tlie accepted pictures having been hung in the best positions, of which "on tho line" is the most coveted, an immense amount of wall space remains to be filleel, and now comes the turn of the provisionally accepted pictures, which are now hung entirely with a view to size and shape, as tho rule is to fill the walls, often with most disastrous results to theneighbouring colour schemes. This plan would never be tolerated in v mure artistic country than England. Paris has two Salons, and hangs each picture with a sufficient wall space to do it full justices But at the Academy the walla are often crowded with mediocre work, simply to fill them. The hopes of intending exhibitors are raised high when their work is provisionally accepted, and many an aspiring artist has to lament tho ambitious size of his picture, for had it been smaller it might have been squeezed in somehow. When the work of hanging is accomplished the critics and picture dealers are admitted, and all is ready for the private view, which beautiful function fittingly opens the London season. Hero rank, fashion, art, the diama, and literature, foregather to set the ball rolling. Not much is to be seen ol the pictures. At the private view interest centres more in .the assemblage of notabilities present—and must we own it? —the elresses of the celebrated women. Tho brilliant scene oil the staircase of Burlington House on private view day must be indelibly imprinted on the minds of anyone who has seen it. Generally one or two pictures become the talk of the town, and round these thero is a crowd during tho rest oi the season. Friths "Derby Day" had to be railed off, and so had one of Lady Butler's paintings. Two or three of the best pictures are bought by the Academy under the Chantry Bequest, and are added to the national collection at the Tate Gallery, instead of being buried, as they long were, in the lower rooms of Burlington House. As to the choice of pictures under the Chantry Bequest, there has lately been great controversy. A Parliamentary Commission was appointed to consider the alloged abuses under this trust, and it is to be hoped that one day more worthy pictures will bo chosen to represent to posterity the art of tho present day. This is by no means the only criticism that has been levelled at tho Academy. So great has been the dissatisfaction with its judgments that many of the greater artists have refused its patronage. Burne-Jones accepted the honours of becoming an R.A. under great pressure," but hardly ever sent his pictures to Burlington House. Whistler's portrait of his mother, which now hangs at the Luxembourg in Paris, was actually refused, and Watts was considered to have conferred an honour, rather than accepted one, in joining the ranks of tho academicians. So great was the antagonism between the Pre-Raphaelites and tho Academy, that the Brotherhood started a rival, institution called the Grosvenor Gallery (now the New Gallery) to which they send their work. Ford Maddox Brown had a life-long feud with the Academy, and one can hardly imagine Rossetti as a petitioner for admission t j its walls. Even Sir Joshua Reynolds, a? President, excluded the works of his rival Romney. who never forgave this slight. About five years ago a glaring | mistake was made by tho committee who refused the statue of Lycidas, which was at once sent to the New Gallery, and l drew all London with its beauty. It is only fair to say that the Academy at once regretted' their decision, and tried to get the statue back, but without success. However, despite these occasional disputes, at the great banquet, which annually takes place on April 30th, all is peace. The year's work is done, and there it stands for the world to judge. Tlie host of the evening is the President of the Royal Academy (now Sir Edward Poynter), and on him devolves the duty of proposing a series of toasts, which are responded to by the nation's most brilliant representatives. The Prince of Wales replies for the Royal Family, the American Ambassador for his President. For nineteen years tho late Lord "Leigh ton was president, and under his auspices the speeches reached the highest possible level, and the function itself took its place as one of the intellectual treats of the year. It is seldom that such an ideal President can be found as the late Lord Leighton (lord, indeed, for only one day). j His physical beauty, sympathetic voice, mental culture, and artistic genius, all united to make up o personality which is rarely to be found. He was succeeded for one year by Sir John MiiTais, whose 6ad death came all too soon. His was also a striking figure, and his appearance was praised by Ruskin as of the highest type, but he was hardly able to speak when made President, as the cancer in the throat, of which he died, had alreatly attacked him. Sir Edwartl Poynter, the present President, has held office with distinction for twelve years, and probably both the banquet and the Academy this year will be fully up to the usual standard. We much regret that a family bereave-

ment will prevent our new High. Commissioner from representing New Zealand on this historic occasion.