N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 9, 6 October 1919, Page 6

N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

ANNUAL EXHIBITION

mt NOTES ON THE EXHIBITS ;he ( By "The Lay Figure.") ;ilo 11.-THE OILS, ow Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, of Christchur whoso work is always welcome, are on presented in both tho oils and wat ills colour sections. In the former M ho Kelly contributes what is, after ? ho Harley Griffiths's full-length and J Bowring's nude, • decidedly tho most n ]jy able figure study in the show. This ol- "The Birthday" (245). It is a large c: vas depicting a lady in a dress of pi figured brocade, with pink roses in 1 hairr* and holding up a small houqi of the same ilowers, with a pendant r bon. The "ordered negligence" of t pendant hice of the cult' is a model graceful draughtsmanship. There is laudable firmness in the modelling I the face, and the whole composition compact with a harmony which bears m trace of being in any way laboured over elaborated. To my mind this is t T " most successful picture the Christchur i 0 artist has yet sent to a Wellington c P- hib'ition. ix Mrs. Kellv also contributes a small p; : n tare of a child's head (244), in whii n- thero seems to be a certain confnsii botwc.in the hair and the hat. Nor rt the sbmo artist's study of a femini 1, face, "Reverie" (245), to be voted entii il lv sucecMtul, thero being an almost l a pellent hardness in the contour of t' y face. [-. Mr. Cecil Kelly's sole contribution !. this section (309), "Valley by the Sea 0 is a careful study of sand ,dunes. (1 ' Mr. Waucliop, a young Christchun artist .whoso work has in the past rJiov n decided promise, is at his- best in th , section in '201, "Evening' iu the Otii ' Valley," a particularly well-balanced coi If position, the trees in the middle distant 1 forming an effective curtain, as it wer for the range in the background. The: is a line atmosphere in this pictur 9 which shows that the artist has graspt tho importance and value of gradual 0 recession in the distance. Mr. Wauchop e second contribution (277), "West Coa: 0 Road." is somewbnt lacking in defin r tion. unit is less satisfactory. s Mr. W- Menzies Gibb, of Chrietchurcl 6 is always to bo relied upon for eom s sympathetically seen and conscientiousl f rendered transcriptions from nature. _ 1 u has been painting down at New Bngl :. ton',..and .'his two studies, 241 and 24 e more particularly the former, "Tl g Lower Avon at New Brighton," are ri - ptefo with a restful and delicate _ grai f which is conveyed by no more trick c technique but by sound draughtsmanshi 1 and an equally sound comprehension < » colour values." On the southern wall M. a Gibb has in "Moonlight" f282) a well handled marine study, with an almo; ' dramatic cloud effect. Mr. Killick exhibits some conscientior ' and interesting work which is to be foun 3 near to that of Mr. Harley Griffith ? He has a keen eye for a telling coir ' position, and although his work has it ' conventions, those conventions are rarel unsound.' His work has unity, the unit 'rather of carefully assembled detail tha of seizing of the greater truths in na lure. Thero is an appearance of facil completeness about his work which is ds ceptive, for, of Me he has been an infra quent exhibito? and his more importan pictures are the result of repeated efforts This year his landscapes sit soundly am well in their frames, and tho values an correctly observed. He seems to hav overcome the difficult problem of- pain intr foreground water which in so muol amateur-and even professional-wor, often shows an inclination to fall awa; instead of preserving a level appearance His "Evening on the Hutt. River. 308 and his "Dusk in the Beech Wood, are both pleasing pictures, the latter n particular being a sound and composition. A smaller picture, Oi the Road to Wilton's Bush," 304, show unmistakably the lessons in values tin artist has learnt from association witl Mr. Griffiths, under, whose influence hi work has shown a decided advance. Another local amateur who has conn under the influence of. Mr. Griffiths i: Mr W. Montgomery, who contributes i well-observed, excellently-executed paint ing of a veiled mask of a woman's faci (M 0); This is a most creditable effort much above the average of amateur work Mr. Montgomery's two landscapes an somewhat Jiarsh in thoir colouring, an< seem to belong to'an earlier period o his artistic development. His techniqw shows that once he has grappled mon successfully with colour, or at least no allowed it' to worry him so much, hi should produce some very sound work. . Mr. Fred. Sedgwick is an artist wh( paints painstakingly along sound line; and declines to sacrifice anything fo: mere effect in positive colour. Conse nuently his oils are restrained and quiet He is not represented, as isusually tin case, by any large canvas in this see tion, but sends five small pictures, eacl and all exhibiting a most marked ad vnnce in general quality over his previous work. Both in 264, "The Poplar? Autumn," and "Willow Trees, Evening,' 265, there is evidenco of keen persona impressions honestly conveyed • without any suspicion of artifice in tho tech nique. Mr. Sedgwick is also to be credited with ono of the best water' colours in this year's show, but as to this moT( anon. Mrs. J. A. Tripe'?, most important con tribution is a largo, figure study, "Dis : enchanted" (340), tho subject and title suggesting memories of Pierre Loti's famom novel, "Les Desenchantees," descriptive of harem life. It shows a woman seated on the floor in Oriental fashion, with crossed hands. The exof the face may be translated fts signifying mute resignation, > quiet aecentanco of that weariness of " life wbich is suggested by the title. The dress and flesh tones are in harmony, and .the sjHH life environment—vido the beautifully-painted grapes and the Oriental vase—is well composed and deftly and soundly handled. The whole picture i= a figure study much above the average of New Zeaand work in. this genre. Mrs. Tripe also contributes a lifelike portrait of Mr. Williams, the •veteran custodian of the Art Gallery,' a special word of praise being due to the expressive modelling of the left hand, "Elaine." 341,. by th« Same artist, is a delicately-painted half-length portrait. The silvery, greyish blue of the dross, tho graceful drapery of the sleeves, help to make up a very charming picture. Once Mrs. Tripe can succeed in getting a little more effect of "projection" into her figure studies-and already there are signs that she is recognising the importr.nce of this quality—l look to Iter to give us sonifl;liing really notabfo in tho way of portraiture. "Sifter Willis," 341, is ft strongly-painted portrait by the samo artist. For onco Miss Flora Scales deserts her favourite equine studies, in which sho has scored so many sucoesses in tho past. By far tho best of her contributions this year is a modest little canvas, 2-1-3, "MidDay Haze," a study of shipping alongside tho wharves. This picture fairly pulsates with light and life, and was, I was glad to notice, ono of the first canvases in the exhibition to receive the honour of a "red seal." In the figure study, 243. "The Bluo Frock," by the same artist, the'flesh tones are pleasant, a.nd_ there is, too, a fair degree of projection, But tho faco—more particularly the nose—is weak in its modeling. Mr. H. M. Gore, the ex-president and preaont seoretary of tho academy, sends but opo small picture. This is 259b, 'Waikanae." It is a charming little picture full of that innato delicacy of colour, that essentiality tasteful handling which is characteristic of all Mr„ Gore's work. On the inorth wall, to tho right on entering the main gallery, is being shown somo very interesting work by Miss Graco Butler. In the large canvas 3(!0, "Evening Star," there is a fine suggestion of plein air buoyancy. The picture shows, I. think, that the artist possesses a rare sensitiveness' to effects of light and atmosphere. Of her smaller pictures, "Uplands," 3GB. a canvas of almost excessively modest proportions, in a very affniptivo little study. "The Black Calf," 3(15, by tho same artist, Is perhaps a trifle harsh in colour, but shows good draughtsmanship. " The most important contribution of I. M. Copeland, on tha same wall, is a figure of a girl in fancy dress, "Folly." The orango and black of the dress mako an effective colour contrast, and tho figure as a whole is well drawn. ,

Some pleasant little landscape studies from the same brush are worth inspection, and thero is some sound, careful work in tho portrait of a young girl, "Leonie," 304. Some highly original and very striking work is shown by one of our young soldier artists, Mr. W. H. Carter, junior. Mr. Carter has great gifts of imagination and is not afraid of essaying what to somo may seem very daring effects in colour. Thero is a quite poetic spirit in Ins "Sunset Solitudes, Dartmoor." 350, with its excellent effect of the dving but still powerful sunlight breaking "through a copse; but the artist's most noticeable and successful effort this vear is the pictorial fantasy, 352, seemingly on an Oriental motif, in which thero is some quite fascinating colour effect. There is good promise, too, in 354, "A Wind-sVept Hillside.

Of Mr. Bender's eight contributions the palm must go to the vigorouslvhandlcd landscape, "Near Island Bav" (323), one of the best things Mr. Bender has given iis for some time. Anion*-! the smaller pictures,. "Sunday Morni"Lyall Bay," 319, ranks high as an ry ample_ of well-restrained strength, arc' there is a very agreeable buoyancy and sparkle in. the capital little" marine study, 320, "A Summer's Day, Cook Strait."

Mrs. Eicholbaum's "Paris bv Night," 310, represents a typical boulevard scene.

Miss B. Chapman's two littln English rural scenes are clever examples of impressionist painting, but the drawing is weak as'compared with the handling of th" colour effects.

Mrs. J. A. Heginbotham's landscape, The Cross Roads, Wadestown," 314, is singularly interesting by reason of tho artist's method .of handling massed pigment on an exceedingly rough canvas. The trees to. tho left are well modelled, and there is a Clausen-like effect of strong-contrasted light and shade in th" middle of the picture, which is very interesting, Not quite a success, but a ca-'vno which shows high nromise. .Mr. Heginbotham's contributions to this year's show are a lareo study on the waterside, 270, "The Figurehead," and two small seascapes, jfliere is a„n flgrppnbln quality in the smaller pictures, notn.bly in the tiny little study of rocks and wnfor, "Shag Point. Evans'Bay," 315. Mrs. E. C. Prince contributes a wellmodelled, vigorously-painted "Nude Study," 3JO, and an interesting figure study, "The Miller's Daughter," 270. The Wanganui amateur, Mr. George Shorriff, is represented by a faithfnllvpainted study of. game, "A Present from the Country," 275, and a fine, virile seascape, "The, Atlantic from tho Cornish Coa-it" in which the curl and break of the big combers are rendered most convincingly. This picture has been somewhat scurvily treated by the Hanging Committee. It is .possessed of quite conspicuous merit as a sea piece, and should certainly not have beau "skied." '

Amongst other artists represented are: V. L. Hutchinson, whose nest contrihuj tion, "The. River," 2-1-0, is a restful and very pleasing composition; B. E. Chappie, Ethel Richardson, W. Tiller, R L Tingoy, Dorothy Turner, I. G. Gise, -\! Paul, and M. Arndt. Thero are several flower studies, by far tho most notablo being that entitled "The Green Parrot," 253. by Minna Arndt. The parrot is of quite secondary importance in the picture, the main subject being a grovp of hydrangeas-just a little "tight" in"tho handling—massed in' a beautifully-painted vaso. An exceedingly meritorious effort. Threo interesting loan piotures are hung in this section. One is a Brangwynesque subject, a vividly-coloured and finely luminous picture, "Pan's Piper," 345, by .Tames Clark; the second-a contrast indeed in motif and tono to the first mentioned—is a woodland sceno by Oliver Hall, an English artist of high and deserved reputation.' This picture, 346, "Egdean Wood," is replete with a gravely dignified, almost austere, beauty, and cannot fail to ovoke admiration. The third loan picture, "Fisherman Mending Nets, Kaikourn," 333, is a specially fine example of the art of the late Mr. James Nairn. It shows all that gentleman's powerful yet easeful command over strong colour, with the all-important basic quality of correct draughtsmanship. | Two groups of water-colour drawings of war scenes by the soldier artists, Nugent Welch and W. H. Johnston, and lont by tho Government, are shown in this room, and will be referred to in my third and concluding article, dealing with the water-colour section.

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY'

KENT -TERRACE PRESBYTERIAN. Yesterday the anniversary services of the Kent Terrace Presbyterian Church were .conducted by the Rov. Thomas Miller, M.A., of Feilding. There wero good congregations iu spite of the threatening weather earlier in the day, and the steady downpour of rain in the evening. The service of praise was efficiently carried out under the leadership of Mr. Godier, tho organist. The morning subject was : 'Tho Iniperlshableness of Our Lord'B Words" (Luke xxi, 33). "In contrast with these," said the speaker, "all things are transitory, i'ho stago coach as a means of locomotion had been replaced by.tho locomotive, the motor-car, and the aeroplane. Tho tallow candle had been, superseded by tho kerosene lamp, and nqw wa had captured the thunderbolt, and our dwellings and churches wero illuminated tty electricity. Change was everywhere—Anibryni was their mission station, with its hospital, ably staffed; then came the volcanic eruption, and now that hospital was en-gi'-lied sixty fathoms in tho sea. Only tho Lord's Words wore permanent. Mero human words; oven when written in newspapers and books, wero epheromal. Tho remarkable thing Was that the Lord did not Himself write, and ,-et His words still outlived the ages.. Persecution did all the forces of destruction could do to nulT?' the "', Dft ' ect > b *' tllo y stood imperishable. Voltaire predicted that in a hundred years Christianity vrould perish, but now tho room in" which thoso words wero written was the depot of the British and 1-oreign Ifiulo Society, which sent out the sacred volume by millions." In the afternoon a special servico was hod for tho Sunday School children, 1 ible classes, their teachers, and friends Iho subject was "David, His Lito and its Lessons." Tho subject of tho evenings discourse was the "Beatitude," whioh our Lord pronounced on the pure in heart. The preacher pointed out that blessedness was different, from happiness among other things, in the fact that one was from within and the other from without/ Rutherford and Bunyan enjoyed blessedness, although imprisoned and persecuted. The text implied that tho impure in heart were not. blessed, no matter what success might attend their efforts. Sin, liko a darkened window shut out vision. Tho key to all blessing was seeing God.

===== , ME, BAXTER HAS A CALLER, STORY OF A LITTLE GIRL'S DANGER. Of interest to everyone—indeed, of vital importance to many—is the information given By n lady visitor to Mr. Baxter just the other day. "I don't suppose you know me," n young lady inquired. _ "I don't remember having met you," Air. Baxter replied. "Well, I wouldn't be bore if it hadn't oecn for your Baxter's Lung Preserver.*' "Many years ago, when I 'was rjuito a liltjo girl, I was training with my tntner by boat from :meklnnd to Now Plymouth. I was nearlv choked with a l)ad cold. Father in desperation asked (he steward if he had anything likely to give mo relief. The slc-vard produced n bottlo of Baxter's Lung Preserver, remarking that he always kept a bottlo with him. Father says tho effect was wonderful, and gave mo immediate relief, culturally, since that day we always keep a bottlo of Baxter's.' We are going to Australia shortly, and we are s °}m s toM" S a mr S e siiwply with us." the above is a genuine conversation between Mr. Baxter and ono who«e lifo is| undoubtedly duo to that grandest of all coijgh, cold, and sorp throat remedies—"Baxtor's Lung Preserver." Get i a large 2s. Gd. bottle from your chemist or store to-day. Baxter's is u splendid i tonic, too, builds up the constitution and revitalises the*wholo system—Advt.