ART PRIZES

Evening Star, Issue 23498, 12 February 1940, Page 3

ART PRIZES

WINNING ARTISTS’ WORK AT EXHIBITION AUSTRALIAN PAVILION Advice has been received by authorities at the Australian Pavilion at the Centennial Exhibition that the coveted Archibald prize for the best portrait, preferably of some man or woman who is distinguished in arts, letters, science, or politics in Australia, has been won by Mr Max Meldrum, of Melbourne, Simplified tonal value was stressed by the judges in awarding the prize to this work, and this is exemplified by an earlier work now hanging in the art gallery of the Australian Pavilion at the Exhibition. Mr Meldrum’s prize-winning portrait was a study of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 'Mr G. J. Bell, and it was the artist’s fourth attempt to win the honour. The portrait at the Exhibition hangs on the right of 'the art gallery of the Australian Pavilion on entry, and is of a contemporary artist, Mr John Farmer. The winner of the Wynne art prize, regarded by artists as a high honour, was Will Ashton, a director of the National Art Gallery, and this is his third success in the annua! contest for the best Australian landscape or example of figure sculpture. He first won the prize as long ago as 1908. At the Exhibition there are two oils by Will Ashton in the Australian Art Gallery, ‘ Kurraba Point, Sydney Harbour * and ‘ Marbella,’ a street scene painted during his wanderings in Spain. Will Ashton won the prize this year with his entry, ‘ Morning % Light, Middle Harbour,’ painted near his own home, which overlooks Sydney Har hour.