The Fine Arts Association's Exhibition.

Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 128, 14 October 1886, Page 4

The Fine Arts Association's Exhibition.

THE PlC'lUKKtf, CONTINUED. Fussing on to the second room we find the oil paintings, of which thero arc v goodly n imbor, l-opreicntativo of nearly all the bo t known iirtisU in New Zealand. Mr. J. I). Moull>r.iy, w Im^e worlt has not "so holicvo, heun m-fn in W'-llingto'i before. b nds two very (food pictures, No. 48, " One M lo Crook, Qucunhtown," and 100, '• Craiggal'achie, Mus-tcr Ground of the Clan Circuit." Tin fniinev ri-proif Tits the )>ietun"-qne g •mirlonr of tho country around f.dke VV.ikat tin in a pia'-li-rlv st\h\ The bright jr'eam o r mvnlight breaking throiifrli the cloiklh mid 1 jilting up tho corner of v wooded mountain in tho centro of the iiiHur" is eveodingh W '11 done, and the free yc-t vigorous manner o" rondoring the rocks and herbage of the foreground mako this one of the most I'loftHing pictures in the whole collection. "Ciajggallachio" is alno a fine pieco of painting, and well worthy of careful Htudy. TliiH picturo was exhibited in (ho Royal S ottish Academy. Mr. John Gibb contributes no less than Lvolvo pictures, many of them displaying ITi-eat power, and a true ftrtiwtio sense of tho loautiful in nature. His principal work, • Outward Hound, Wellington Heads," No. !»), occnpicH tlio central position on tho h niLhcrn wall, and attracts universal admiration. 'Jho painting ot tho ship, being liiwe-l out under Pom-arrow Lighthouse in tin- curly morn in".', is a very careful and Imil'iliil Htudy, mid tho light ripple on the writer between (he uhip ami the shore is htuiiliftillyciiiighl. Among"!, the other picture-, which Mr. (iibb hunds we find much to udmiru in " A Spate of tho llcaley," No. 88, mid " Surf Bo.itbouse, Bankx Peninsula," No. ."it, in which it i|iiiet piece of back water, with Htrong reflections, and surrounded bj ifj'ls ami scrub, sorve .>siigiiodforu-groniid fo 111 1 ) picturesque old hnithoiiso. " Dawn, Koiv lirighton Bunch," No. 70, excmjililie-! Air. (lil)lis' ability to miike, a good picture oit of very .simple tiuiteii.iis. This i-< si very powerful picture, and ih v.ell placed in ¦* lio centre of tho wnll on the lei I, entering the loom. " /'lonvnng on (lie Cliffs, Kaikonm," No. 107, if .'No in thi-i arti-t, lest Hfcylo, and full "I \.";i irons work. The figures of men and lior-"-. aro well put in, and tho height from \.hich tho hcoiio is painted is cleverly represented liy the atjno'"uheri<! effect given to tho cliffs on the right ;' ihc «ca is n. brillii'.nt blue, perhaps a liftlo \o<9 '>l llw l uo '" colour, but the picture, on tho w > h () l ( 'i IH OI)0 ''f I-' 10 ' )CS t '" t ' 10 gallory. l - Tho yacht Isca winning at Lyttjlton "No **•' w '" °^ iiterost to many ••oiiiiln Imyi. ' ' y fa' Gibb also sends a numbor *i l hnr mnrinn ' views and Hmullcr land"ouimjH, bpmo of » t i JOHOWO have already ot utiiinl , Tr. Wm. Bcelham exreferred to above * . fl lw „ , His colouring is refined, an WK ofhis/airHubjectsarebeau, , T™^^ "Wuiinoa Crock, No. d.t, i , '/nn'nnfi little bit of nnniistnkpalily IN ™ d"; " ' Hjonory. by Mr. Jumou Peolc, who *X°J>}™! us another small pietnro. No. GT>, V " .'" Rivor Bod," quite a littlo gem. ""^ Sporroy i.s well roprosontod by an ar ' J portrait* and two landHCiipo pioccs. t ""- lormor, No. 7.">, " Portrait of John Spor. °^' Kvi. i" N0. 90, "Portmitof Hon. Johußat. '" g.ito," aro admiralil- nnd truthful portraitH, displaying groat al ility. "Tawa, No. 82, and "Now '/oaland Cherry Ripe, No. ffU Maori boy and girl, aro oxciuisito studios ot faces. "A. Typo of !!-¦ iuty," No. 101, is a'.ao a vui*y finoly painted poi trait. Mr. l!i. Gouldsmith, to whoso wo.k iv water colours wo lnivo already referred, gives us a tiisto of his iiuality in" oih. In No. 53, "Mount Alexander from Te-cijttikan," a painting" Hhowing great skill, tho scene represents tho mountain as .seen boyoffl a wooded promontory which fornw th.) mldfjlo diatanco. The handling of tho briibh in full of vigour and powor. There is a brcadtli' in the paintinc throughout this pictiiVb", which stamp it as tho work of a trainod' rtX'tiai Nos. 60, " Tararna Ranges," by Mr. X: W. Payton, and 108, " Moonrisp on Wangivrtii' Eivor," aro not in this artist's best st^to^ and do not como up to the works oxhibittM by him at tho last exhibition ; tho former, however, shows groat freedom in tho execution, although tho seonory depicted is uninteresting. " A Windy Day, Kinloeh, Tnko WaKutipii,' No. (it, and '• Bvoning, l,iiko Hawca," No. 73, byMr.L. W. Wilson, uro two good painting*. In tho former tho jil'tist has clovorly e.mght tho uffect of a whistling galo of wind swooping across the corner of tho lako and tossing tho trees about ; tho clouds also luvo tho appearance of motion, and aro painted in a bold, free ntylo. No 73 is rich in colour and oarofully drawn. Tho fcrna and scrub in the foreground, howovor, do not striko ua as roproHMiting tho characteristics of New Zealand ¦"hdergrowth vory succesKfnlly. 3fr. C. Bloomfiold's paintings of tho Pink and White Terraces, Nos. 99, 100, and 105, aro tastoful and pure in colour, and should provo of ranch interest. Tho samo gentleman also exhibits a nnmbor of anmllor sketches very skilfully oxeontod. "Waikiki, Honolulu," No. 0!), "Crator, Diamond Head," No. 7G, and " Crator of Kilanor," Na 80, by Dnruoaui, show this gontleman to be an artist of no small ability. The firstnamed picturo, representing a tall palm tree, against a groy sky, towering above a hut snrronndod by dark groon masses of bush, is specially worthy of attention. No. 76, "Tho Crator, Diamond Head," displays tho artist's power with colour, tho molten lava and jets of steam and smoko boing roproscntod with vory roalistio effect. As skotches wo regard Nos. GO 1 , " Harvost timo noar Stoke,' and 08, "Building tho Haystack," by Mis Dora Moeson, us betokening great ability, and we look for something good from this lady's brush on a future occasion. Hor " Showory Morning, Stoko," No. 182 (in the fourth room), is of quito unequal morit compared with tho two just mentioned. Mrs. Brodie contributes a number of landscapo paintings, some of which oxhibit conaidorablo powor ; thoy aro, howovor, not soon to advantago in a small room. Tho boat aro Nos. 71), " Tho Trossoohs," and 110, "Qlon Finlos." Mr. David Turner uonds three landscapes in oils, tho subjects of two of which are familiar to most \Vollington pcoplo, viz., No. 97, "Island Bay," and 103, "Oriontal Bay." Both of theso works will repay careful inspection, tho scones being vory truthfully and artistically represented, arfd containing a great deal of detail. Tho reflections in tho calm water of Oriontal Bay aro skillfully rendered, and tho fignros introduced lond interest to the soonos. In the third room the eamo artist has sorao fruit and flower piocos and a still Hfo study, which aro porfoot gems in their way, and aro tho contres of much attraction. The last-named work, No. 130, ontitled '" Thereby Hangs a Tale," was, wo boliovo, exhibited at the Boyal Academy, and is worthy of special notice. It reprosenttt a skull standing by an empty bottle, an old lan thorn, a razor, a pack of cards, and two ancient tomos, painted with vory roalistio effect. Mr. H. M. Goro oxhibits a "Portrait of the Hon. "W. B. Mantoll," No. 05, a faithful portrait, excellently painted, and giving great promise of good work in this direction in the future ; also 110, a moonlight scene, and 181, " Mount Hutt." In tho third room a fine display is made of some of the casts imported by tho Association for tho uso of students in advancod schools of art, including life-sized figures of the "Discobalus" and "Antinons" and others, and also a largo number of busts. Ono wall of this room is also made nso of for hanging oil paintings for which room could not bo found in numbor two. We find hero as a centre-piece a fine work by Mr. A. D. Eiley, of tho Sohool of Design, ontitled "Tho Duel," No. 129; also, by tho same artist, a " Study of a Palm, No. 120. This painting gained a national silver medal at South Kensington, and is a very truthful study of graceful foliage "Bejforias," No. 128, by Mrs. M'Cosh Clark, is a olever piece of flow9r, or rather leaf painting. "A Woman of Samaria," No. 132, by Colonel Branflll, is a richly coloured painting of a girl standing by a well under a thick shade of vine leaves, and holding a oarthenwaro water vossol. Colonel Branfill also oxhibits a landscape picture, No. 180, "A Gorgo in tho Brook Valley, Nolson," a very realistic and somewhat laboured representation of an uninteresting scene. The picturo wants life and colour, but evidontly acouratoly dopiots what the artist saw before him. It seems almost a matter for regret that the timo which must hare been occupied over this work was not given to transferring to tho canvas a moro picturesque scene. Wo now come to tho fourth room, in which have boon arranged tho various works ontercd in competitions, also plaques and other decorated waro, photographs, architectural drawings, ana some water-coloured akotohos by an English artist, Mr. Charles Rndolyffe, lent by Mr. F. Grady. Tho photographs are, as usual, of oxcollent quality, and it would be difficult to chooso botweeu those exhibited by Mr. Bothamley and thoso i by Mrs. Williams, either in point of oxooution or choice of picturesque views. No. 155, " Gordon's Knob," by Mm. George Wright, is a clever littlo wator-colour drawing. Nos. 156, "Moonlight, Queen Charlotte's Sound," 158, "Evening on tho Tamar," and 163, "Tho Mooting of the Waters," by Mr. Noel Barraud, aro threo very good wator-colour drawings. Tho last named is a careful study of bush scenory, in which the varying colours of tho native foliago are well rendered. Tho light and shade in this pioturo aro also good. Mr. A. Horzog sends a small picture, No. 159, ontitled a " Study of Waves, Island Bay," painted in a broad and frco style, and showing considerable proraiso. Mr. A. L. Campboll shows three littlo sketches in oil colour, accurate in drawing and dotail, bnt tamo in colour. Amongsi tho drawings of flowers wo notice No. 173 ("Dog Daisies") and No. 174 ("Azaleas"), two very lino designs in wator colours by Mr. A. D. Riley, also " Clomatis" (No. 178) and " Poppies and Convolvulus" (No. 177), by Miss Ridings, graooful in arrangement and truthful as to colour. Miss Stuart sends four coloured photographs Nos. 186 to 189, whioh are beautiful spochnons of this olass of work. In tho department of decorated waro wo find a numbor of plaques, vases, &0., most of which display great taste and skill. Nos. 190 and 193, by Mr. A. D. Riley, aro particularly notoworthy. Miss DransfieW and Miss F. Bichardean also exhibit some beautiful specimens of their work in flower painting on plaquea, &o. In the anteroom are arranged soveral hand-painted Boreens, door-panels, tables, and other artistic work of this desciiption. Miss F. Richardson deserves great praise for No. 303, a fine screen painted with a group of yellow crysanthemums, artistically arranged and well painted. .Miss M. Moorhouso exhibits a soreon, No. 207, Lilies and Rhododendrons," and a pair of door panels, hand painted, all disPJ&yHJjjf great power in flower painting. Miss Medley also exhibits a fire screen with white ins beautifully painted on it, No. 199. Mr. F. H. Tronson desorves oredit for hia soreen representing the legend of "The Rune of the "Vega's Rudder," No. 200 A table painted with a graceful spray of hops by Mra. George Wright, No. 201, is excellent both in design and colouring. We have not been able to refer in detail to a great number of works which fill tho different rooms, bnt have endeavoured briefly to indioate tho most noteworthy, and wo think we have said sufficient to show that the present Exhibition contains a large

number of paintings which would bo a credit to any gallery, and which are well worth a vitiit of inspection. When we call to mind the fact that in this collection arc woik.s from almoHt all tho irtiatß who contributed paintings to tho Now Zealand Court of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, and which have called forth imi'-h high piai 1 -" at Homo, it will be apparent that there aro p.vi.tings hero worthy of careful study. " A piophot is not without honour aavo in his own country " i-s true in this respect alco, and people aro slow to believe that we havo amongst us irtists whohC works are fit to be hung unongst those of the bi-M galleries at Home. Vet that Kifh i-i fl'i- <••'-'• i" evident both riom tho testimony ol the hngli-h press md from the opinion- of those competent to judge wlio li-iw \i-'i«-il l'i.- prorfint l.Mnliii ion in Un; X.itioiijl iMiiii'.il I.i*' 1 A'-'-ocia-tion's building. The Exhibition closes on Saturday next, and we strongly recommend thono who havo not already dono so to pay the gallery a visit.

Thi: Liki: ov an M.P.— An M.P., doploring the evil effects of London habits on tho health, said that were it not for the American Co.'h Hop Bitters ho could not live through with tho irregular hours ho waH forced to kdop. Said he — " As soon a» I feel weak and exhausted from long night HensioiiH nnd mcalft at irregular hours, I resort to my Hop Bittern instead of Htimuliuits. They regulato my boweln and keep my appetite good, my brain clear, and my ntrcngth and health arc preserved." Hue.