“THE PLEASURE GARDEN”

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26477, 19 July 1951, Page 6

“THE PLEASURE GARDEN”

RENEWED OFFER TO CITY COUNCIL

PAINTING WANTED BY

AUCKLAND

“The Pleasure Garden”—the painting by Frances Hodgkins which caused so much controversy two years ago in Christchurch—is again being offered to the City Council as a gift for the Robert McDougall Art Gallery by those who subscribed to its purchase when the work was rejected by the Canterbury Society of Arts. The membership of the City Council and of its art advisory committee (which recommends pictures for the Robert McDougall Art. Gallery) has changed considerably since the full council “respectfully declined” to hang this painting after a very long debate on July 18, 1949. This is the main reason for the subscribers seeking reconsideration of their proposal. The renewal of the offer was made to the City Council this week. It is likely to be received by the library and art gallery committee this afternoon, which will probably consult its art advisory committee Messrs Archibald F. Nicoll, Richard Wallwork, Colin Lovell-Smith, Russell Clark and Heathcote Helmore. Messrs Nicoll, Wallwork, /and Cecil Kelly were the committee who declined to recommend acceptance of "The Pleasure Garden" in 1949. Mr Kelly has since withdrawn from the committee and more members have been added.

"The Pleasure Garden” came to Christchurch in 1948 on the motion of the Canterbury Society of Arts that a work by Frances Hodgkins should be purchased. A selection was made by the British Council in England. During 1948 there was sharp division of opinion on the merit of the picture within the society, which finally rejected it in December. . Admirers of "The Pleasure Garden” then opened a fund for its purchase which was completed at a cost of about 100 guineas.

The painting was rejected by the art advisory committee and the art gallery committee when it was offered for presentation to the City Council early in 1949 and then, on July 18, a deputation from the subscribers (comprising Mrs Margaret Frankel, Mr A. C. Brassington, and Mr Helmore) again appealed to the full council for the work to be hung in the Robert McDougall Art Gallery. Since then the painting has been lent for exhibition in various New Zealand centres and it is at present in the custody of Mrs Frankel The latest letter to the City Council reads:— "In view of the fact that there is now a change of council and an enlarged advisory art committee, the subscribers wish to offer once more the water-colour painting ‘The Pleasure Garden,’ by the late Frances Hodgkins, to the McDougall Gallery. Since its rejection by the Christchurch City Council, ‘The Pleasure Garden’ has been exhibited in several public galleries in New Zealand, including the Auckland City Gallery. The subscribers have had an offer from this gallery to buy the picture; but naturally we would prefer to see tt hung in the Robert McDougall Gallery, for which we originally bought it.” The letter is signed by Margaret Frankel and A, C. Brassington, for the subscribers.