DUNEDIN SOCOOL OF ART CLUB’S EXHIBITION.

Evening Star, Issue 8615, 8 September 1891, Page 2

DUNEDIN SOCOOL OF ART CLUB’S EXHIBITION.

The public inspected the pictures in large numbers last night, and the general expression of opinion is highly flattering to those who have exhibited works, several of which already show the red star. In connection with the art union, it is not probably understood that those fortunate enough to draw a prize of a stated value will have their choice of the works hanging on the walls eo priced. We understand that the Committee have very kindly invited all the children from the State schools (under the proper charge of their teachers), who may have attained to the Fourth Standard or above it, to an inspection of the works on Friday or Saturday, To morrow evening an excellent musical programme will be given by a number of our best known and most efficient performers, and, with such a commingling of art upon art, there may be expected a very large attendance.

The following concludes our notice of the works exhibited :

Among the numerous water colors shown by Mr B. F, Smith, most of wbioh are in the sketching style, is ‘The Town Belt (Dunedin),’ * The Derwent (Hobart),’ * After Bain,’ ‘ Manly Beach (Sydney),’ * Fairy Cove (Sydney),’ 'Evening (Kent),’ ‘A Day of Best,’ ‘ Hay Field (Hampstead),’ ‘ Splashing Point (Timaru),’ ‘ Timaru Breakwater,’ ‘Winter Sunlight (England),’ ‘The Old Boat,’ ‘Mount Wellington (Hobart),’ ‘ Path Fields (Hampstead),’ all of which show artistic capabilities of more than ordinary character. For choice ‘Splashing Point’ and ‘Timaru Breakwater’ appear to com mend themselves.

‘ Mount Alexander ’ is from the brush of Mr B, Dunne, and is an oil color cf undoubted merit. The bold hill in the background, with its rugged crevices, in which are traces of snow, is clearly defined against a cloudy sky. Tne bush on either side of the road is well painted, but it is in the road itself and the bill in the middle distance that the painter has failed to some extent. In the road there is monotony, and the suiface requires breaking up. The hill is somewhat fiat and dead looking. Mr A. H. O’Keefe’s ‘Portrait Stndy’ shows careful drawing, but without knowing the subject it is difficult to say the success attained. The expression of the face is very serious, and the head appears to be bent forward rather unnaturally, but the coloring is better far than in general. Under this is a small study in oil of an egg on a plate, and this is capitally managed, the depiction of white on white not being an easy effect. This picture is the property of Mr Eeidle Mr D. Scott has got a little out in his drawing in his ‘ Boss’s Supper,’ but the jar and tumbler are faithful reproductions. ‘ Worn Out ’ is a very realistic little picture by him, wherein is represented, in oil, an old pair of boots. ‘ The Old Boat,’ a depiction of a steamer (the Iron Age, we understand) moored just off shore, is Mr E. B. Hayward’s effort; but he has better pictures than this in the exhibition. A study of a bottle in a satchel hung on the wall is also by him, and the defect in this is the unnaturally heavy shadow on the wall, Further along is a small painting of a pony, from the came source; and * Family Jars’ is another study from still life (strange as the expression “still” may sound) by Mr Hayward. * Carey’s Bay ’ and two or three more paintings complete a numerous list from Mr Hayward. ‘ Leaves from my Sketch Book.’ Under this heading Mr D. C. Hutton exhibits largely, and among his numerous works an Indian ink sketch of the harbor, with Dunedin in the far distance, claims special notice as being of a high class order, The drawing is excellent. Mr Hutton’s studies ia red chalk are also among his best efforts, and the walls are plentifully hung with them, The study of a boy with a slate, evidently busy calculating, is natural looking, the expression of face being one of deep thought. Further along tho wall is another capital drawing, in this case of a girl’s bead ; and in No. 189, a study of a head, the subject being a full-bearded man with billycock hat, Mr Hutton has shown his well-known ability as a draughtsman, the tict in this being an improvement on the former study, which is, however, quite as good as a work of art.

A still life study, entitled ' A Prescription,’ from the brush of Mr A. Alexander, is carefully drawn and well painted. A small oil color of ‘ Waikouaiti Beach ’ has also been done by Mr Alexander, who has managed to give a good sky effect, with the sun’s rays piercing the clouds; but his coloring of the land portion of the picture, especially in the fore part, is hardly up to the mark.

‘Spring* is a small but well executed painting in oil of a young lady laden with flowers. The idea of the gauzy texture of the dress is capitally conveyed, but in the coloring of the face Mr Packer has not been eminently successful, it being rather inclined in the direction of swarthy. The picture is otherwise & very takieg little thing, and a really clever production. Another small bat effective oil color—in this instance a landscape—is a view of a pastoral scone in New Zealand ; and Mr Packer, who gives evident signs of great improvement, completes his list with a scene near Rangiora. In his study of a jam pot and butter with disk, Mr R. Neilson has managed the former with address, but the batter is rather an unshapely and not over well colored mass. His chalk drawing of a hat and scarf is very dark—too much so—but the work itself is well up to the average. A design for a newspaper heading by Mr H. Rosa shows fine work, and a deal of it. The work is in sepia. An excellent little study has been painted by Mr S. O’Keefe, called ‘ Drawing Materials. It is really beautifully done, there being hardly a blemish to mar its perfection. Two very pretty little sea scenes have also been painted by him, the locality being Tomahawk ; and farther along the line attention is attracted to a little scene on Ross Creek. The view is looking up the bed of the creek, and the perspective and coloring are good, as also the refactions cast in tho water. A small study of inanimate objects has been cleverly managed; and * Laid Up * is deserving of commendation.

Mr J. Kilgonr, among his still life studies, shows an oil color in which he depicts broken articles of china, which he calls ‘Useless. 1 The teapot is about the most effectively produced article of the grouping. * Useful, Not Ornamental ’ —an oil color of “ dipper,” scrubbing brush, and so forth— Is another of Mr Kilgour’s efforts, but the subjects forming this picture are rather soft looking, and do not stand out from the canvas as they might; still, the picture is by no means without redeeming points. ‘ Hard Times,’ a study of a boy busily engaged mending, is a large oil color, in which Mr Eilgonr has not been sufficiently careful in his drawing, and the tout ensemble of the picture is not what may be called first class.

A pretty, open • country scene, with moving effect (‘ Flazbnrn Station ’), has been pointed by Mr D. E. Hatton. The sheep are depasturing, in the distant sky the grey of the morning Is well conveyed. ‘Among the Pants’ is about the only, if not the only, painting in the exhibition in sepia, and Mr Hntton has been eminently successful in producing a very effective picture with a good sky, showing the rays of

the snn slanting through the clouds. Another water color by the same gentle* man is a taking little view of a dwelling-house, with trees abont it. ' Evening Glow, Port Chalmers ’ (lent by Mr D, C. Hutton), is a difficult subject handled with skill. Mr D. £. Hutton has performed his work in this case in water colors, and the sunset effect has been fairly caught; but about the greatest success attained by this young gentleman is in bis study of a boat moored at a pier. Here he has been more than ordinarily successful, and there has been good scope for him to show his drawing powers, of which he has taken advantage. ‘ Past Mending,’ by Mr J, M'Allister, a large oil color, is, as a whole, an idea faithfully carried cut. The picture is carefully drawn and fairly well colored. A small study by the same gentleman is a careful piece of work. ‘A Shady Corner,’ by the same brush, is an oil painting in which the comfort - loving cat has found snug quarters in a box in the shade, The work is a passable one, but the animal leaves good room for improvement, and seeing it is a prominent subject in the study the shortcomings in connection with it are very noticeable. A small study by this gentleman of a statue and ecacertina is worthy of mention, the static being the more excellent part of the production ; but in a chalk drawing near by the pencil has been used rather freely. The eyes, or eyelids, of the head appear to be wanting in distinctness, A small oil painting, called Oamaru, by Mr W. P. Meston, shows the shipping and breakwater in the distance, the picture being taken from a hill, part of which occupies the foreground. Another view in the same locality shows a stretch of beach with a foreground of "enow grass,” which has been scratched in. Lake Waihola would have been more effective without the fence, an unsightly, and by no means interesting object, prominently placed in the foreground of a meritorious production in oil, 'By Cargill’s ’is a hardlooking picture of a high precipitous piece of coast line, and is done in oil, Mr Mestcn would do well to try and get a softer appearance, especially in the distance. This picture is in strange contradiction to bis view of 1 Dunedin Harbor,’ which is beautifully executed, with the exception of the foreground, which only wants breaking up to make the work ooe of the most admirable ones in the room. The shaded part of the water would also be improved by touching up. A very nice collection of shells has afforded this gentleman an opportunity to prove that he can do fine work. ‘On the Leith,' a small oil from the brush of Mr A. D. Sligo, can scarcely bo considered a successful effort either ns regards drawing or coloring. * Sunset ’ is a small dark-looking oil color, with a fiery glow in the west, caused by the setting sun ; and Mr Sligo has not been vusuccessful in catching the effect, though the coloring is somewhat sombre and heavy, ‘ From the Kaik to Otago Heads ’ is also an emanation from Mr Sligo’s brash, and in this the same heavy coloring is noticeable, though it is perhaps the preferable work of the two. A rather exaggerated sky is :atroduced into bis oil color of 'Sydney Harbor.’

Mr B. C. Wright, who does not apparently work in color, has two chalk drawings of a clever character, his portrayal of the inkbottles being the better effort of the two. An oil color by Mr R, Dunne— ‘ Top of the Gorge (West Coast road)’—has an unfinished appearance, and would pay 'or retouching. The boulders at the side of the road are hardly according to the real thfcg, as seen in nature, and require more attention at the hands of the artist,

la bis oil painting of the‘Ocean Beach,’ Mr R. Coghill haa failed to quite catoh the crisp curl of the waves, and the coloring of the water is hardly up to the mark ; otherwise the picture ia good. This gentleman has a view on the Leith, in which a lit :le more attention to detail would be an improvement. Farther along the wall is p; obably his best production, entitled 'Vegetables. 1 The turnip and onions in this: re as real in appearance as anything in ihe room; bat two opinions might be passed about the coloring of the bunch of radishes, which seems on the bright side. A portr.it from Mr Coghill’s brush ia fairly good, anti is not badly colored. His water color of ‘ Pelichet Bay,’ taken from near the rifle shows the cement works and the hills, with Cargill’s in the distance; which has not, however, been at all well preserved, for the idea conveyed is that the points mentioned above are twice or three times farther aw ;y than they really are. A more successful effort is another view on the Leith, io which more pains is manifested; and a study of still life has been done with credit to the artist.

Among the nnmetous studies in chalk are several from the pencil of Miss N, Hutton, and this young lady shows herself in many instances to be an excellent drawei.

A very pretty little picture is contributed by Mr H. Drew, entitled * My Ain Fireside,’ in which, through a half-opened door, the interior of a room is seen. The perspective is exceedingly good, the coloring w:-ll chosen, and placed on the canvas with ski 1, the whole effect being warm and inviting. 4 Crosby Village,’ the remaining effort of this artist’s brush, is a small oil color of a capable kind. Mias Christie has a small but capable study in tile, in which she has shown cave and bestowed some trouble, with satisfactory results.

Mr M. Cable is more successful with hia chalk drawing than with his study of an interior, which is in oil. The former is a representation of the hulk of a vessel fust going to decay, and the latter of an ea<el jh which is a picture, and on the table on which it stands are some feathery grasses. The brush has not been particularly well applied in this work. A word of praise is due to Mr J. Bendy for his study of a skull, in ohalk, the shading being nicely graded, and the prominences brought well np. Some eighteen or twenty night studies from the living model are shown in the recess of the stage, and capability as draughtsmen is shown in nearly all instances. No, 1;3 is the most finished in appearance, b't there are other capital studies on the wall.