ART EXHIBITION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 941, 7 October 1910, Page 6

ART EXHIBITION.

FINAL NOTICE,

No. 211, "Cheek," by D. Durrant, is a very interesting picture, and will arrest attention. The. concentration of thought on the face of the player is unmistakable. Deaf to, and absolutely unconscious of, all that is passing around, the problem before him must be solved. Sec the very way. in ' which he is _ inhaling the smoke of the cigarette.- The fixed attention and tho nervous .questioning suggested, in the poised hand, if seemingly irresolute for the moment, it. is only the measuring., of probabilities. , This. is a find picture. Human and tense.

No. 212 is a remarkably fine piece of work, and shows the artist, 11. Linley Kichardson, at his best. The portrait is convincing, and there is ail ease about the method that shows artistic and skilled excellence. Though the picture is but small in the matter of inches, it should satisfy: the most critical.. Nos. 221, 222, 255, and 258 are all from ■the brush of. C.. P; Goldie. These are.a ■ series of Maori-heads—portraits of celebrities. This artist has-made : these studies of the Maori people his'fqrte. His aim is accuracy,in detail, accompanied by, a, - high degree of finish; The paint-, ings .are. almost ..microscopic in 'detail,, whether in the, facial lines or the- ..texture and character of the' garments. Time has left its record, on these , old faces. Here and there,that pathos that nothing can' altogether stifle breaks 'through, and the tale is told of experience and endurance. No. ■ 220, "Whare-' kauri,"-and 251, "The Old Lion," both Maori subjects by the same artist, are life-size-portraits of chiefs. Typical representations :of. the .old-time Native; warlike in -.mien:' These types'will in years to come be more fully appreciated. That day when the education of the Native will have definitely changed the cus-, toms and the dress, and the warrior fife will-cease'to-be visible: Then these'records, of- a,past history of strife and its characteristic adornments 1 will be sought after.-;..'-. :'.v r ;;-'. ~--.; .:'■-. ■■■;.,

The : other two N05.,244 and 26G, .by .differentt-'artists, are .on. the same lines,'but .not treated/the "same ..way.' Tho first of these is'by.S. L. ;Thohipson,'.who proves himself' equally/ capable, of repre-. sehting. the Maori as.well as 'the, Euro-pean-type. /In: this particular ./example/ there -is -not .only, a 'fine and free style, biit .the whole composition of the picture is vigorous and the drawing very -.good.. The/ fore-shortening '.of -the. arm arid the: forceful grip/of tho weapon are very'-fl'ne.. There may be 1 perhaps a. little 'stiffness in the draping,, but/it must, be remembered that a-.flax mat. does not.lend itself readily to graceful, folds, nor- is -it as compliant as an;artist could-wisL,. The/carv-' mg-.in'ithe background is. distinctive. - ~ - No;-.' 266, '? chosen by thei : council and pur-/ chased,as a permanent work for the gallery collection,' is.' the: nearest. approach: to •'. the', Maori complexion,. one is familiar.' with—but this is. a' vexed question,; arid hot to be'prdnouh'ced'uppn with;too great a measure of. assurance. Is ; 'it- a matter, of climate, . food, or, conditions of / lite that make .the difference,, or. is it distinctly- tribal?'•■'■ The; example iriVquestioh, has been: .selected, ;and /one, looks/;for, "tru'ei marks" without -hesitation-. (The ear-drop of greenstone.'is of'/a :: darker hue/,than- the old heirloom type. ...The. real ■ .value of: these/ pictures : , will -be 'determined; in' a few .centuries j.wheh the controversy will arise as ; to'which is the "authentic -Maori.^classic,"/and;the cug-, nosceriti of that day' will,enter into;, the \ learned disputes - as', to -whether such ,'ahd 'such, an: example: is" ;. a "genuine Goldie" or a "true. Thompsph"; or a "veritable ;Richardson.".' The/great point-'to.bekr in niihd is'that;artists.;should.work for posterity. ;,. The -/commercial'.;.'side,'-; of : - course,' has to be'. : considered,', but- it. ; is-the,: art that is .undying.-: See; the rare examples of real old work that ;are. within reach' and..note-how the touch of 'the/ master abides.:. ■ Time" is -a- true /critic, and quite v;/::'/-:..:-,-''■////-'-.'' '■'■ No; 277,'. ahdther portrait -quite /apart from the warlike: character of : the Maori, is tho' /winning boy/,, with. those; pathetic eyes- that, plead, quite/.unconsciously for; emancipation/arid.a.good romp.outside. / - From .fchisXsubject'it is'j'- quite "fitting' T tb turn / to 272;"11he Last; Weaver."/.The story is .'writ; plain... Time and experience are stamped ,in -that:wise/old face./. Heis the master of '-his;aft! :"Has'.:anything gono/wrong wth','the';;web?V.'There is, the' skill of years-of ..toil.and."practice to 6et right the 'broken' .;,thfead. The!; picture is a-fine example" of 'light; skilfully usedj good drawing,' arid-right- colouring;- -■ : ■No. 282, in the Backi blocks,"' will have admirers/ /The group-:-ing; of the men at work-is, natural, and , the' light -in the/ • woolshed "is; .well sug- : gested 1 .;. /There is material there for. ,a /finished 1 picture.':'':-'.'" :'•:-;■/'/ , .-.'..'•■:■

,A- group of scenes.arid' views,;,. by W. Hbunsom Byles, 'comprising "■-■■. sis 'small studies, beginning. with No: ; 28G,'-are.-.in-teresting;, subjects' 'drawn;,';from life at Terieriffe. ' The colouring' is- vivid,--But quite in' keeping with: what, is'■' represented. The.artist; takes' us to the country; he ' has_ visited; arid; we must be con-' ,tent to forget; the- comparative 'mildness of our colouring, in, New Zealand/ The artist has .""handled his' subjects .fearlessly, and • succeeds.: in .presenting;..vivid living. pictures.. The best, of this group .is;'No.;-306, ."The>Eruit,.Market;".avery realistic impression. ;''.': ;';[' -',:■-<iv~:\-l'. In'regard to ;the exhibits ;of .students'! work, a visitor vto '--the- gallery will' do' well • to. look closely'.at', the'work, shown' in the' ante-room. ;The progress is ' very! marked. Subjects classed as still life are' exceptionally- well, -worked- 'up';VM7 and 349 are quite, striking. .The .study, of. the grapes,; the'vine, and the accessories, even to- the decanter and the .wine, is remarkable.; The' colouring, and 1 the drawing, are- truthful; and; it may be safely predicted, there, is an ; artist;not r ;?ar -off 'in that piece "of ,work.\ ;' : '!;.; ; .-;. ! ... "No.. 358 is an excellent < example of a study in' oils, of'a head from'lifo. The flesh tones ,'are .good, •and: the.'colouring is rich and well, toned.-, '.-. --: ,:'.;•

, Nos.; 372 'ahdr.373 are! studies of the human figure 'from life, and.both' these examples contain qualities:' pointing! ,to early success; ■ 375,, ; 377,- 'and ; 379 .'are 'all good, specimens of students' .work. .For advanced studies, from..' the. antique, Nos.: '408. and...409 cannot, be'.overlooked. .The pity is that sojmuch: good .work "should be crushed, away 'into' corners and- rooms where, there is no. 'space';.in whichVthe! fruits of conscientious work;can' be!enjoyed.*,;; --. :',•.•■; '.:.;:.■"'' '■:'.-'--! :!.,;::' '■: To study- any branch of art: is ,a, fas-.i cin'ating pursuit.'. We are a .busy, people,, but like Nature that never rests, there is always; time and-place for what is beautiful,-, from time to time therehas' been a. gradual; gfowthVof perception and some artist prophet has' arisen who! has given a revelation!;owing -to his. keener insight,' in'" which .case '.if he'.! has been considered narrow-minded-.- by-: orthodox critics, he • has led the: way to a higher standard." !! r .'■ ■■ r>';''v: . , V :;

The present'exhibition gives, point to "Annalist's"'remarks 'upon/the iAcademy at Home. He says: "To crowd two, thousand works into one room'is •to build ' a 'Babel of Art; ... They all shriek, at once, and. each, in:' a. .-.; different-tongue.' The stoutest gold frame cannot. separate 6ns canvas from another;.and .that .masterpiece ...has the. best'..chance -of survival whose crude and blatant colour ont-clam-ours its iieighbpurs. : What should we say of a hundred novelists declaiming their works under one. roof?" ■ '

"Whether, it., be : with : his., chisel, ' .his pencil, :his brush, his : .bow, or his pen, the artist, must work .with divine .fire, regardful, enough ,of:' modern needs and conditions to be.sympathetic to them, regardless enough'to dare to; lead up and away from them," says W. F. Dix. Everything must:: have . a foundation .that'will last, and if New Zealand is to rank high in Art.: the elementary, teaching needs to be.on.right lines; : -It may be no harm in this connection to quote the "Studio": "It has been ho secret for some time that the Academicians were disappointed with the result of the revised rules that, came into force in 1903, and Sir Edward Poynter's announcement at the prize-giving of the Royal Academy Schools' last January, of the forthcoming return to the earlier methods of teaching caused, little surprise! The lower school is to be restored this,year with drawings from the antique,as a prominent feature of the curriculum; and students admitted at' a lower standard "will, have .to show satisfactory elementary work before admission to .the upper, school." '■ .-■ , What appears to be. lacking in our works of Art is what may be. termed the grace of form., We need to be more eclectic. ' There' is much' to bo learned' from the Japanese. Their realism is a point to appreciate. It has been pointed out, by Mortimer Menzies that Art in Japan is as living as Art'in Greece was livinff-rit forms port and parcel".' of the

very life of the people. . The great characteristic of Japanese Art is its intense and extraordinary vitality in the sense that it is no mere exotic cultivation of the skilful. No mere graceful luxury of the rich, but a part of the daily lives of the people themselves. Mr. Menzies goes on to say that Art in Japan is universal and instructive, and therefore living, not an artificial production of a special, class.

' In. conclusion we would commend to the student's notice Herrick's wise advice: . . ■ "■■ .'; Hast thou attempted greatness? Then go on, ; Back-turning slackens Eesolution." Whilst Art patrons'would do well to remember: these, further lines.of his:. . Studies .themselves ...will languish and decay, -...;. When either price, ■ or. praise is. ta'en away.' ' ".'.•-..""■ ".■ ■ '