WIDELY SCATTERED.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19610, 4 May 1929, Page 6

WIDELY SCATTERED.

PORTRAITS OF FOUNDERS OF ARTS SOCIETY, From a humble start W ls®>t when it occupied a small room oyer the Cbristchureh Press Company's old premises in Cashel street, the Canterbury Arts Society and its art gallery haye flourished, and during those years there ha# been witnessed a remarkable development in tM art of the brush, the crayon, amd the water-colour, »e£t year tne Society will celebrate its jubilee, and |t is a lamentable fact that of Mis founders it now possesses only two representations—a portrait of the late Captain C, Garsii* and a bust of the late Hon. E. C, J. Stevens. Captain Garsia was secretary from 18bo until 1896, and vice-president from 1897 to 1902, and the late Mr Stevens was a president for many years. » The first steps taken towards the Society's foundation were in 1880, but it was not registered as an incorporated society until J 889, The present Art Gallery, on the corner of Armagh and Durham streets, has now been standing for 40 years. Some years ago the Society possessed a fairly wide collection of portraits ojF prominent Christchurch citizens, but practically all of them were handed over to the Public Library snd the Museum for keeping. At present, in the Supreme Court, there is a painting by Walter Bowring, of the late Mr Justice Denniston, this having been presented to the Court by members of the legal profession. Mr Justice Denniston was one of the original vice-presidents. An excellent portrait of the late Mr Cass of coaching days was another work which was handed over by the Society to the Library. This possesses particular interest, for it was painted by Samuel Butler, of "Erewhon ' fame The reason for the absence of portraits of early executives of the Bociety is that very little of that type of work was done in those days. Since then of course, the art has gained considerl ablv in popularity m New Zealand The founders of the Society were'as fallows : T President, Mr Richard BeetDenn ls ton, Judge wEd', tt? hSTE C J Stevens: ordinary members of the Council, Messrs R. w FerprW J. Gibh (father of Mr W S Gibb). E. J. Greenrtreet. B W Mount fort. li. A Gill, G. H . Elliott. R U d: Thomas, and Profc-or P. w. Hutton • hon. secretary and treasurer, Captain Garsia.