OTAGO ART SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 15035, 18 November 1912, Page 3

OTAGO ART SOCIETY.

' THIRTY-SIXTH EXHIBITION. THE OIL FAIXTIXGS. J. Elder Moultray's works always claim respect. Care in design allows "him to bring , every thing in, even when the subject, is full of matter; he may bo relied upon not, to make .any detail mistakes; and he is scrupulously attentive to finish. These characteristics "make Mr Moultray's paintings a reproach to those artists who seem to imagine that giddiness is genius and that to be slovenly is a mark of superiority. In the collection which lie sends to this gallery we notice with satisfaction a modest and pleasing sketch on the banks of the Upper Taieri, showing the old police camp at the Styx (No. 60), and ' Garden Bush, Waikouaiti' (No. 166) may be instanced as one of Mr Moultray's best landscapes ; while 'Memories' (No. 192), depicting, an old sea captain perched on a cliff, telescope in hand, tells an interesting story and appeals strongly to the imagination. The most important of Mr Moultray's lot this year is, however,' The Battle of Ngutu'-o-te-Manu' (No. 182). Few artists would care to spend the time that this picture has cost. Mr Moultray has taken pains to get at the facts of this dreadful engagement, and the portrayal is of intense historical value. H. R. Cole has only one exhibit in the oils room. It is a large canvas entitled 'The White Barque' (No. 190), and the space 16 well used, every inch of it, in showing a fine expanse of restless sea and a vessel'that is standing to the wind under all sail, and really moving towards the beholder. Th ; s is" a clever and faithful work.

D. E. Hutton, N.8.A., has a liking for high colors, and that he can safely use them is proved by his scene in Chelsea Reach, on the Thames (No. 49), this depicting with freedom and no small degree of success a well-occupied bit of the river. Another of the same sort is 'On the Evening Tide.' Some critics, however, think that Mr Hutton has touched his highest point of merit in 'The Old Relic-house on Bridge, Ambleside," and we are not disposed to quarrel with that opinion. The bridge piece is certainly a frank and firm bit of work. At previous galleries we have learned to respect the name of Margaret Sale, but it is doubtful whether anything that this lady has shown in the past can compare with the best of her work this year. It is enunciative, simple, and vigorous. ' Autumn Evening' (No. 27) is noticeable for the skill with which the water reflections are put in ; ' A Golden Evening ' (No. 59) is quite a little gem, the dazzling lights being daringly and surely handled; the Bruges scene (No. 170) is "admirable as to perspective and lighting, and we might add to the undoubted successes 'Gossip' (No. 149) but for a suspicion that the fkures are too large. 'New Curtains' (N0.~156) is painty, but the other composition picture, 'ln the Garden' (No. 79), just escapes that objection, and it is commendable for the charming presentation of the sitting figure. M. E. R. Tripe (Wellington) contribates. two oils—'La Jeunesse' (No. 109) and the picture of ahayfield (No. 113). Of these the former is the one tiiat most visitors ■*; ill prefer. It represents, an intellectual girl lifting her eyes from a book to think over and enjoy some passage that gives her delight. The girl's mental pleasure is most expressively shown, the figure is beautifully modelled and painted, and the picture as a whole must give pleasure to all who have eyes to see, for the technique is irreproachable and the subject treated poetically yet without the least mystery. W. S. Melvin not often shown anything so happy as his 'Mountain Stream' (No. 30). The run of the turbulent water beside the pine trees is cleverly depicted. Mrs Ritchie favors the gallery with five o'ls. 'Nearing Home' (No. 5), a sundown ftudy, tells ito simple tale effectively ; 'Fisherman's Heme' (No. 25) contains" a lot of detail in the making of a charming scene; and 'Youth and. Age' (No. 160) may be sincerely praised, not only for the appropriateness of its title as shown in the contrasts of the dead and the living trees arid the figures of the old lady and the child, but also because of the feeling that it gives of beW out in.the open. Mrs M'Neill has taken risks in the com-

position of her portrait (No. 3), for a , large part of the canvas is taken up with I shelves of dingy-looking books and there is really nothing to relieve the figure. But the good modelling saves the situation, and if the artist will take some of the color off the aims the figure may look even better. 'Fairy Tales' is an excursion into the genxe domain, and it has not been undertaken in vain, for the girl in the chair is done- very nicely. Vera Chapman shows the influence of Continental study in her Bruges landscape (No. 4). It is the promise of good work. More immediately successful, perhaps, is another bit of Brug«s (No. 54), which carries tie eye a long way up the river. And this artist has ventured safely upon a difficult subject in 'The Fish Market' (No. 159), the work in this being distinctly clever. Hilda Chapman'? exhibits vary very rouch in quality. We. suggest that ' Wellington Harbor' (No. 21) is much better than 'The River/ and if one wishes to see this lady's be.it work let him go direct to Jfo. 179, a view in a, Tyrol pine forest. Maybe the green is a little violent, but the trees are splendidly drawn and also well ]>ainted, and approached from a bit back -the perspective is quite a feature. Hermina Arndt has three prominent figure studies. 'The Little Mother' (No. 8) attracts a considerable amount of notice. It represents an ill-clad London waif—why London ?—in a puzzle over her knitting. Something has gone wrong, and she is thinking how to right it. The picture tells its story effectively and with a near approach to tenderness, and, if the modelling is in minor particulars dubious, the attitude is strikingly good. Frankly, we like this No. 8. Artists probably give the preference to the bolder presentment of ; A Berlin Market Woman' (No. 41). This is clever, but the unlearned in such matters would like to see the flesh tints cleaner. 'Grandmother's Dress' (No. 82) fulfils the promise of the title, and the stiffness of the fignre is perhaps part of the scheme. No fewer than nine of the landscapes are from the easel of Mrs M'Crorie. 'A Coming Storm' (No. 50) deserves inspection, and 'Patearoa' (No. 71) is a really nice example of what seems to be open-air-work, the poplar tree a capital feature. Mrs M'Crorie has apparently made a special study of the Lombardy poplar. We see a good row of these tre'es in the queerly-named 'Full Dress Parade' (No. 31). But the best of this ladv's work is in 'The Taieri in Flood (N0.'147). The rr. s£L*~.s, ta» Timaru) favors the gallery witk a Wight little landscape (No. 32), the feature of which is a bank of flowers, though the horse attached to the nursery plough is well put in. Mr Greene's chief success, however, is in ' The Unemployed,' a spirited and remarkably clever representation of a row - of donkeys_ on a beach. Visitors find amusement in noting the wise looks of the donkeys. Each of the waiting beasts seems absorbed in some thought of its own. Landseer used to be rebuked for making his animals express human emotions. Mr Greene's face expressions are put in to give a touch of innocent interest. • F. E. Browne's pictures, though small, should not be overlooked. They are decidedly meritorious in a modest way 'Ocean Beach' (No. 15) pretends to be ■ nothing more than a sketch, but as far as it goes it has the elements of a fine picture. ' Evening' (No. 31) might be accepted as quite masterly were it not for the spoilmg whim of putting the paint on a sort of ribbed canvas that %'exea the eyes. It may be conceded, too, that '4. Slip from the Pot' (No. 56) is commend-able-in that it is a study direct from Nature, though not very interesting as a composition. K. M. Ballantyne shows two pictures, and one of them, ' Spring' (No. 80) is distinctly promising. The treatment ehowa original observation, and the trees are und« the influence of wind. But there is no convincing toi&b. of spring about it excepting the presence of » pair gf lover* ; ~ ~-^_.

H. J. Edgar's ' Summer' (No. 2) reveals cleverness. The scheme is good, and the painting very nice. The one question that starts in the mind of the beholder is' whether the artist has not put rather much detail into that deep foreground. 'A Fendalton Cornfield' (No. 16) is photographically true as to form and plan, but one seems to perceive the edges of things.