EMPIRE LOAN COLLECTION

Evening Star, Issue 21718, 12 May 1934, Page 22

EMPIRE LOAN COLLECTION

[Written by J.C.D.E., for the ‘ Evening Star.’] No. 111. THE ACADEMICALS. The pictures that hold most interest for the general public because they are more understandable are those executed by Academicians and artists working along similar impressionistic lines. Impressionism, introduced into England by Whistler as a revolt against decadent Victorian realism, as contrasted to the post-impressionism of such artists as Roberts, Wood, and Nash, is still the backbone of painting in England as it is in this representative exhibition. But it is a tempered Impressionism with artists feeling more and more, as we approach the present, the influences that have so profoundly affected the younger -generation. Though they do not afford us an example of his last work, the four examples of Sir William Orphcn’s painting show that he was not _ without sympathy for the growing spirit of the times. In his ‘ Bloomsbury Family ’ (No. 168) we have great impressionistic painting and a wonderful sense of picture building, it was originally built up on a triangle, the mirror, a complete little picture by itsef. dominating the apex. This lias been disguised by horizontals and uprights, lines leading in and lines cutting across till it is a perfect maze of interest. This picture is not just an excuse for the painting of .so many portraits in one picture, and even if it were it is too rich in characterisation not to justify its being. ‘ln the Studio ’ (No. 169) is great impressionistic painting, too, but it is broader, with a much keener appreciation of high-keyed colour. This painting is as clever a work as is in the exhibition, the lighting effect being exceedingly well sustained. It is Orphan's later colour at its best,; large masses of pearly greys harmonising red, oranges, and greens beautifully. Yet while it has an airy feeling, its design has neither the interest nor the strength of the ‘ Bloomsbury Fam-' ily.’ . , : * Orpben’s ‘ Portrait of John Everett ’ (No. 171) is an extremely dignified and aristocratic work in his earlier manner, and its colour is rich if lowtoned .

Sickert’s paintings, too. show more than a passing interest in “ Modernism.” He has been always a great experimenter, but ‘ ’ Frisco | and ‘ Santa Maria ’ are worlds apart in treatment, colour, and design. The latter possesses quiet dignity in arrangement, low-toned, but beautiful colour, ajid is firmly if not heavily painted. ‘ ’Frisco ’ on the other hand, seethes with movement, is anything but solid, is as bright in colour as the other is subdued, and in technique is very sparing. To most people the outstanding works amongst the paintings are John’s portraits (Nos. 106 and 107). Here are wonderfully subtle colour harmonies, be it the painting of flesh tints, of hair, of eyes, or of backgrounds. It is doubtful if we have ever had in England a painter who can get at the soul of his sitter as John can. And his work lives with his own forceful genius; a genius that would make him a law unto himself no matter in what period of art he lived. There is always a satisfying quality in the work of Philip Connard. In his bold, bright, and objective landscape, ‘Abbey Ruins’ (No. 50). and bis wellconceived ‘ Portrait of W, C. Alexander (No. ,51) the handling of the paint is fresh and vigorous. A similar quality is found in Gunn’s ‘ Beach Near Etretat ’ (No. 93), a very tine harmony in blue; but, unlike the Connards, this picture has not sufficient variety to sustain interest.

Steer’s work is notable, as it shows the development of impressionism from both. Turner and Constable. No living painter excels him in the power of translating naturalistic vision into terms of paint. Like Turner, he is able to reduce a landscape to terms of colour and still preserve enough of the likeness to Nature to satisfy our instinct for truth to Nature. Hence comes that element of mystery that makes such an appeal to one’s imagination. We in Dunedin have every reason to be thankful, for we have in our own art gallery a Steer that shows this aspect of his art to perfection. 1 Birds Nesting ’ (No. 222) shows his affinity to Constable in its very satisfying green colour harmony. But it also indicates two defects of Steer’s work. The details of the tree on the right catch and distract the eye from absorbing the whole effect. Secondly, he is apt to concentrate on parts instead of keeping the unity of the whole picture in view; the left-hand side of this picture has an easy grace, clearly telling where the artist’s interest lay. Russell's landscapes, of which ‘ Bathing Tents ’ (No. 198) is a fine example, are always painted with the refinement and taste shown in his subject pictures. He never forces, is never theatrical, but gives us Nature “ in quietude, tenderly seen and beautifully painted.” No British artist has achieved such a cosmopolitan reputation as Sir D. Y. Cameron, probably because no one can paint the Scottish hills with the dignity, simplicity, and distinction that lie does. He has an architectonic sense, and achieves grandeur by construction feeling for the strata of the hills and their weight. In the 1 Blue Pool ’ (No. 37), one of the finest works in the whole .exhibition, he shows himself a great designer, lyrical and mysterious. One artist’s work which does not obtrude itself but will have for many people as great an appeal as any work on view is that of Sir Charles Holmes. He is an extremely personal artist. To him, unless the artist’s personal experience is emphasised by emotion, the result is not art. He is a sound, though simple composer of vital, fresh, and often solemn landscapes. ‘ Penrith Beacon ’ and ‘ Long Preston ’ (Nos. 99 and 100) are very beautiful and rich in colour. There are many more pictures in this exhibition that testify equally forcibly that impressionism is an3'thmg hut a spent force in British art. De Gleben’s ‘ Morning in the Olive Grove, Provence’ (No. 57) and Houston’s ‘ Spring, Ayrshire ’ (No. 103) are satisfying lyrical pastorals; Pryde’s ‘ Red Bed’ (No. 182) and Rickett’s ‘Crucifixion ’ (No. 187) have bigness of conception and handling, as well as dramatic force; Professor .Tovks’s ‘ Matinee ’ (No. 234) and Sargent’s 1 Marionettes ’ possess, fine arrangement and satisfying colour; M'Evoy’s ‘ Green Hat ’ (No. 142) is a vivid and striking interpretation, while his artistically sensitive 1 Dorothy ’ (No. .143) indicates his splendid feeling for paint: and Rothenstein’s brilliant symbolical effort, ‘ Thee in Winter ’ (No. 190), in simplicity of composition and beauty of colour is a masterpiece. (To be concluded.)