ARTISTS OF RENAISSANCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1431, 4 May 1912, Page 10

ARTISTS OF RENAISSANCE.

■ LECTURE BY. MRS. WEBSTER. Last ironing, a lecture on "Italian Aft of (ho lioniiijs3.it>.ivat *.gi.\.civ?;)iy Mrs. Webster at the ■ Wellington Girls' College, Sir Robert Stout presiding. ju n brief speech . introducing Mrs. Webster, tho chairman stated it had boon written that the great test of tlie civilisation of a people was. (lint afforded by its art. By what was kit ol' their :ut w'o judged the civilisation readied by tiio Greeks, the Egyptians, the Romans, and all Die old tuitions of the world, and, by our own art ill New Zealand we would 1m 'judged. In his opinion wc luid already made t'reat strides in art, and there waa no doubt that greater progress was at hand, ' • Very interestingly Mrs. Webster dealt with her subject, Gii'tcd with a clear voice, that carried well, and possessing an intimate knowledge gathered from a close study of the art for which she lias such enthusiasm, she at once gained attention. Art had been defined as being (lie language nf the-emotions,.but she thought that it was also the language of the intellect. It represented (ruth, and was the utterance of life. In the different schools of art, iliat of the Greek represented beauty of form, for the Grecian ideal in life was beauty. Beauty (hey lokeJ for in everything, ami worshipped. In Florentine art mental truth found expression i ill that of (110 Venetian! was to lie found truth of colour; while, in Flemish art, supreme attention was given to (he uso of light. l''rom the tinio of Cimebue, ami Gioito down (o the times of I'ra Angelico, Huticelli, und Leonardo da Vinci, art had become less and less conventional. Jn the representations of the Virgin and Child, from looking liko a marionette, the child gradually became a life like bambino, and this change made itself apparent in other ways. At that time the great painters were not acquainted with anatomy, and they hud a handbook, of measurements to which tlic-ir subjects were, expeded to conform. Giotto, of whom it was said tliat ho was' the ladder upon which all the great geniuses of the Renaissance mounted, I'ra Angelico, the heaven-sent artist who prayed before ho painted, Botieelli, the artist whom tho ladies of .Florence loved, and honoured by doing their hair after the fashion of the ladies he painted, and Leonardo da Vinci, probably the world's greatest genius, were the artists who formed (lie subject of tho lecture. Additional interest 'was added bv passing small printed reproductions of porno of their gre.it achievements among those present. Leonardo da Vinci, painter, sculptor, scientist, aviator, mathematician, mechanician, would have been in himself alone a subject for a lecture, and, necessarily, his achievements bad to Ins merely touched upon. The duality of his nature was expressed in "tile smiles of his face's—in tliein he painted his soul, From 1475, onward for the next fifty years, was tlie high tide of Italian art, its full bloom of power .'and beauty, but, in the sixteenth century, the signs of decadence began to be apparent. Of all tlie artists da Vinci was acknowledged to have been the greatest. A hearty vote of thanks was passed In Mrs. Webster for her lecture, and the announcement was made that another woUju be given on Monday evening. SUPERFLUOUS HAIR. Superfluous hair destroyed by "Kusma" (reg). A guarantee triven with each caso undertaken. See testimonials -and letters. Mrs. Ilullen («vev hconomic), Lamoton Quay. Tlioue 11)17. (Testimonial.) Civile Quay, Wellington, ty,.,,. Mrs. Hullon,—! write to let ymi know how delighted ,1 ain wilh your new preparation "[lnsula. A.ter a real good trial i' i' tnliinjr splendid eifect and m y disli'-nremont is fast Incoming obliterated.' Enclosed please tind . CI as. Or!., illeluding the cost 01 skih toed as well. Original copy ol above can be seen at my address. 7* Whv waste time on sleep? Budn TV' -1 h doctors report the cose of a woman who has not 'slept for seven years. Fran IfejJUlK" 3 . who is married nnd has a little girl of ten, began her long vigil nnn night when ft eips.v woman Attempted to kidnap the child. Since then she had not been able to go to sleep! neither has she had any inclination to do so. Yet she is in excellent health, and has never had a jav's illness. One of the new riiseovcries ».t Pomp*" is "0. kind of public-house at which aot drinks were sold." There was 110 indication that barmaids were employed, Weddings.—Shower Bouquets for bride* nnd bridesmaids. Only tho choicest of Flowers used. Specially packed and sent to any part of the Dominion. Miss Murray, 35 Willis Street (Florist to his Excellency Lord Islington^.