FAMOUS PAINTINGS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 55, 29 November 1937, Page 2

FAMOUS PAINTINGS

Reproductions To Be

Shown

During recent years amazing progress has been made in the processes of reproduction of paintings. To the many people in New Zealand who not the opportunity to travel and, see at first hand the masterpieces ot the galleries in England, Europe aud America, these reproductions provide a remarkable and faithful representation of the original paintings. Lovers ol art may look forward to an interesting time during the next few weeks when the “contrast collection” of facsimile reproductions will be on view at the National Art Gallery, Wellington. The pictures have been purchased by the trustees of the National Art Gallery with part of the £lOOO grant given for the purpose by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. It deiives its name “contrast collection” from the fact that it has been selected with u view to showing points of similarity ami of contrast between works by old ami modern masters, and also the ,n--lluence of the old masters on the moderns. The pictures are arranged in groups of two or of three, wRh .t painting or drawing by an old master hung next to a similar subject by a modern painter or one of a later period. In some instances the compositions are almost identical, and it is most interesting and instructive to be able to compare the outlook aud treatment er the different artists. There are 60 pictures in the exhibition, beginning with works as far back as the fifteenth century (Leonardo da Vinci (1432-1519), the engraver Raimondi, Marc Antonio (1480-1527), ami Giorgione (1477-1510), and include significant works by artists of the intervening periods up to the present day. which is illustrated by paintings of Georges Rouault, M. Utrillo, ami Oscar Kokoscha. To give an instance of the way in which the pictures are arranged, the beautiful “View of Delft,” by Jan Vermeer, the original of which is m Mauritzhuis at The Hague, is hung with “Paris la Cite,” a brilliant rendering of a somewhat similar subject by Paul Signac, who was one of the originators of divisionism. or spot painting in pure colours. This method was followed by Van Gogh, who substituted strokes for spots. There are notable examples, also, ol the work of Vincent Van Gogh, whose portrait, “Dr. Gachet," makes a striking contrast to the “Self Portrait of Rembrandt in Old Age,” beside which it hangs. ' . The exhibition will be officially opened on Friday evening of this week, and will remain open until some time in the new year. The management committee of the art gallery is making arrangements for a number of lectures to be given during the showing, and these should be of great use to visitors in helping them to appreciate aud undeistand the pictures. When the collection has been shown at Wellington it will probably be lent for exhibition iu other centres throughout New Zealand.