LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2897, 9 October 1916, Page 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS ' Sir,—l have been very pleased to Joceive tho enclosed, letter from Mr. ■ Harley Griffiths, tho well-known Melbourne aJtist, . who has temporarily taken, up his .residonco in Wellington. •Mr,. Griffiths,' it' will; .bo. remembered, gave a most interesting address a-few .weeks ago t-o a large audience in tho Lecturo Hall of-the Museum, on tho subject -.of the lessons ; to be leariied i'rom the great masters.; The-painting to which Mr. Griffiths" refors—a Eaeburn portrait of Captain C. J: Crawford, U.N. (one of Nelson's captains)— lias been very kindly .lent to ■ the 'Academy by, Mrs. H.-D. Crawford for the annual exhibition,'- which opens on Monday^evening in the Art, Gallery, tho additions to which havo jiist been completed. Mr: Griffiths, who had/to leavo lor the south before tbo opening, was invited to a private view. Th© Eaeburn portrait is' probably tho greatest work wo havo seen in Now Zealand, and is of .great; educational, value. . I feel',l cannot do otherwise than hand you Mr. Griffiths's: lotter.;for. publication,- trusting that you can see yoiir way to give jt space, in your paper.—l am, etc.,; H. M. GOUE, , . • -. President.

[.Enclosure.] . H. M. Gore, . Esq., ■ President N.N. '. Academy of Pine Arts, Wellington. My dear Mr. Gore,—Artists and /overs of art in Wellington,will be. fortunate indeed, in the .opportunity that tho .forthcoming exhibition, of your academy will afford them of examining, nt their leisure,..an excellent example of that great master of portraiture, Sir Henry Raeburn.. 111 young countries, such opportunities are exceedingly:, rare, and I was greatly surprised to find that such an important work of. art was in Wellington." . .'. . •

It is "safe to say that a finer pToture is not .in Australasia .to-day, although the enormous expenditure on : pictures at' Melbourne under the Felton bequest (I. think £30,000 has been spent up to tho present) nas : procured for .their gallory soma ... half-dozen amongst |a .mass of. indifferent productions.

The.Sydney Art "Gallery does! not possess one. picturo.w.hich can be compared with the-:one "you, are .to exhibit/and the Adelaide 'national, .collection is jn tho same position..., . Sir Ronald Munro,Ferguson'j. Gov-ernor-General of .".the V .Commonwealth, brought some,fine portraits.by.Raeburn to Australia,, .in'cluding tbo;,well-known full-length portrait ofr- a -young man with a gun, ; which, wliilo , very" beautiV ful, is, I think,' an earlier example. • As you know, Sir .Henry , llaeburn's. reputation has advanced by leaps and bounds during the last fifty: vears, and ho is now ranked jvith the . greatest portraitists Europe has prodUced.V'and examples "of his work are exceedingly valuable.. . .. " - "... ■■ ''•y The exhibition, of such a portrait should prove of the greatest advantage to your local painters, and - it should not - require a very discerning eye to distinguish between it and the unworkmanlike pretentious examples of modern English and Continental Art, whioh liave, of latp, been so much in ■evidence.

To those people who. are riot artists, but . appreciate beautiful things, this gracious., and charming portrait should not only prove!" a. source-of pure delight, but be almost unforgettable, and forever prevent them from, being de r ceived as to .what a portrait in,oil paint I by a proper craftsman looks'like.. • From tho modern. standpoint, Raeburn, like most, of the '.great painters, is alleged to_ have paid little attention to,the/beauties of colour, but, strssge>. .ly enough, when his.picture.is placed,. a is-.-thbjfiiily^canV; ras- whibh; conveys aiserise colouratioji. •• • <. • ; .......' ; Thanking . you for allowing - me' io see this picture before the opening of" your exhibition, which I hope may meet with the best of success, Yours sincerely, .. . • HARLEY GRIEFITHS. October 6, 1916. v 129 a Tinakori Road. Wellington; ' '