ART GALLERY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 109, 10 May 1935, Page 9

ART GALLERY

AUTUMN EXHIBITION

INTERESTING PICTURES

THREE NATIONAL GIFTS

Some may possibly think the autumn exhibition of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, which is to be opened in the Whitmore Street Gallery tonight, a bit tame after the recent exhibition of British contemporary art, but such comparisons are invidious, and the autumn exhibition is in many ways thoroughly interesting. It happens to be practically an exhibition of the work of Wellington artists, very few from other parts of the Dominion exhibiting, but that does not detract from its interest. The oil paintings in the main gallery are not particularly remarkable, either in quantity or quality, but the water colours in the upper gallery • achieve a standard of excellence, with few exceptions, that has seldom, if ever, been reached before in a local exhibition of this kind. ■ ' Dominating the main gallery is "Carillon," which has been presented to the Dominion by Lord Wakefleld. This large canvas, painted by Will Longstaff, has already been described in "The Post." It depicts a host of ghost-like figures—soldiers of the Great War—on the edge of a vast and moonlit sea. Fran fly sentimental in its appeal, there is an unreality about the painting just as there is about the subject. Two portraits of outstanding personalities connected with the Dominion are hung one on either side of the main gallery. There is Oswald Birley's replica of his portrait of Lord Rutherford, a parting gift to New Zealand from Lord Bledisloe. This is disappointing: it gives the impression of having been done hurriedly and appears lifeless, although one cannot fail to recognise in the technique the hand of a master painter. Probably the replica does not do justice to the original. The other portrait in that of the late Archbishop Redwood in his 96th year, painted by F. V. Ellis. This has been presented to the National Art Gallery by the Old Boys' Association of St. Patrick's College to mark the Golden Jubilee of the foundation of the college. Tribute is paid to the memory of the late Miss D. K. Richmond by the hangr ing of a portrait of her, painted some years ago by' H. Linley Richardson. The group of water colours, by Miss Richmond hung in juxtaposition with the portrait are chiefly of York Bay, which she loved and knew so well, and they reflect the serenity and charm of her*personality. When the time comes for the writing of the history of art in New Zealand her name must assuredly be included in the list of "old masters." I AMONGST THE OILS. Taking the pictures in the main gallery in the order in which they are enumerated in the catalogue, the visitor to the exhibition is first confronted with a group of five paintings by two modernists, H. C. Cameron and Madeline Vyner. "Cylindrical Rhythm" (No. 4) by the latter is distinctly startling, and the totaras in its companion, No. 5, seem to have been affected by its spirit. "Willing Workers" (No. 6), by Violet E. Whiteman, is a care-fully-painted study of three horses ploughing. Near it is C. T. Langesen'S small but impressive "Incoming Tide, Island -Bay" (Noi 12) r hr which the spirit of the restless sea has been well caught. Further along the same wall is; a group; of \< pictures by, Jenny Campbell, distinctiveTand showing her versatility. ..T£isJ:grbup consists of a ilandscape.^a'/portrait, and a still* life .study. In" this., part of the gallery B. E. Chappie has a> pleasing little portrait painting,'"Eventide" (No. 22), and W. " : S. Wauchop has a pair of .oils', •"A ; Fann', by Solway Firth" (No. .23) ".being less formal than Garrets",, Cawsand" (No. 24). K. M. Handyside, in "Drought in Hawke's Bay;,V : (No. 27), has caught the spirit of the subject. On the end wall, dwarfed by the giant "Carillon," are a number of still life studies, zinnias and anemones being the favourite flowers. That by A. L. Avery (No. 43) is the most pleasing, the bowl of zinnias being arranged by a window through which a distant view is seen, Studies of anemones by Beatrice Partridge and Aileen Palmer, Nos. 32 and 35, are also worth noticing. On ■ the same wall W. S. Wauchop shows a soft study of atmospheric effect in "Cloudy Weather, Windermere" (No. 33), and "Kaitoke, near Wanganui" (No. 34), by Violet E. Whiteman, and "The Shadowed Hill" (No. 36). by F. A. Price, are small landscape studies of merit. "Little Farm by the Winding Road" (No. 39a), is a conscientious composition by W. Tiller. The latter- artist's "Pastel Portrait" (No. 43a) is also of distinct merit. Marcus King's well-known penchant for' colour finds expression in, several landscapes on the right-hand side wall, the .most striking being "Taranaki" (No," 49). Here a poster-like effect is achieved by the strong blue foreground with Mt. Egmont. towering above the clouds in the background. His "Mungaroa Stream" (No. 48) is warm and colourful too. W. S. Wauchop has several more oils on this wall, No. 58, a Jersey seascape, being the most striking. C.' T. Langesen's "Jean" (No. 47) is charming. In this part of the main gallery Sydney H. Higgs is represented by "Kaitoke Hills"., (No. 53); and among the several still life studies "Rhododendrons," by H. Lynneberg (No. 57), and "Tulips and China," by Betty Rhind (No. 59), may be specially mentioned. Julia B. Lynch exhibits a very charming portrait, "Mrs. Kebbel" (No. 51), and "Harrowing" (No 60) is an ambitious and- successful study by George E. Lewens. The three oils on the end wall contributed by Archibald F. Nicoll hardly reach the usual high standard achieved by him, but are none the less interesting and distinctive. Others exhibiting oils in the main gallery are A. B. Barns-Graham, W. Bristow, C. Hay Campbell, Clara Cockerill, A. T. Craven, Murray Dayman, K. W. Hassall, J. A.. Heginbotham, Stella Hudson, C. J. Johnston, Margaret McLay, Betty Paul, C. M. Patterson, Elizabeth and Ellen Perry, Marion E. Tylee, G. T. Ward, C. A. Whitman, and Margaret M. White. Among the works on the screens, very noticeable examples are an aquatint etching in colour (No. 105) by James Fitzgerald, pencil drawings by George Woods and Aileen Palmer, and a rough sketch for a portrait by W. Bristow. Doris Garnet, Roland Hipkins, W. J. Cooch, Murray Dayman, Margaret McLay, A. B. Barns-Graham, C. T. Laugesen, H. C. Cameron, and Molly Diederich have also drawings, etchings, wood-cuts, or similar forms of work hung on the screens. In the foyer are one or two architectural drawings. Tapestry work for a fire screen, is shown by Gwen Ockenden. GOOD WATER COLOURS. The majority of the water colours are in the upper gallery, but Gwyneth Richardson has several downstairs, including some colourful studies in' the Bay of Islands. The upper gallery provides a wealth of interest. On the stairs are eight studies by E. S. Hope, mostly bold alpine landscapes. All these display a dignity of treatment which is generally enhanced by the use of coarse or tinted paper. Below them is "Ruapehu" (No. 119), a pleasingly bright sketch by Eric Gully. Quite outstanding and displaying re«

markable draughtsmanship are a number of water colours by James Cook. These are all Continental subjects and the majority would find a place in practically any gallery. Nugent Welch has exploited some new subjects for his brush, and very successfully too. "Fore" (No. 226), a golf links study, and "Manawatu Landscape" (No. 228), with its haystacks, are perhaps the two best, but many will also like "Kapitl in Nor'-wester" (No. 219). T. A. McCormack's distinctive style is evinced in several works, "September Wind" (No. 230) being the pick. Roland Hipkins, too, has a number of water colours deserving notice, as has also R. J. Waghorn. The subdued tones employed with such good effect by Esmond Atkinson in a number of pictures contrast strongly with the brighter tones so lavishly used by some other water colour artists, such as C. Hay Campbell, Gwen W. Nelson, Sydney Higgs, Marcus King, and Beatrice Seddon, who all exhibit landscapes which are distinctive. An outstanding still life study is "Roses" (No. 234), by Thane Field. Beatrice Harvey's "Roses and Larkspur" (No. 171) is a charming garden sketch, and another sketch which will make gardeners envious is "Ilam" (No. 193), by Lucretia Mary Johnson. Clever and amusing is A. S. Paterson's "The Pedlar's Song" (No. 163), the Chinese figures being very quaint. Betty Rhind shows some interesting decorative work, and Nancy F. Adkin is also interesting. Space forbids the mention in detail of more than a tithe of what is exhibited, but the following are the water colour artists who, in addition to those already mentioned, are exhibiting examples of their work:— Dorothy Ashton, W. M. Barraud, G. Lucy Benham, C. Hay Campbell, B. E. Chappie, Mabel Clapson, L. Cockerill, Joan. C. Collins, A. E. Douglas, Leonard A. Fielder, Ethel Grady, Leda Grant, T. Holloway, Stella Hudson, Dorothy H. Jones, E. B. Lattey, C. T. Laugesen, Etta Mansfield, Julia Maunsell, Marjorie Naylor, Gwen Ockenden, Aileen Palmer, C. M. Paterson, Elizabeth Perry, H. H. Pulleine, E. Y. Red^ ward, W E. Rice, Fanny Richardson, E. Rosa Sawtell.T. Skinner, Marion E Tylee, V. Vial, Enga Washbourne, C, L. Watkins, and Charles A. Whiteman.