SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14386, 31 May 1907, Page 8

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

The annual exhibition of paintings and arts and crafts work by the Canterbury Society of Arts was opened last evening. The proceedings took the customary form of a conversazione, at which, there was a very large attendance. The exhibition this year is a very fine cue, comprising a numerous selection of meritorious works by local artists, and much enhanced by a number ot work's secured from the Art Gallery wfc the late Exhibition. Several tine pieces of sculpture are shown, and there is an unusually good collection of artistic pottery, jewellery and so on. Considerable alterations have been made in the building, and among the more striking of these is the decoration of the permanent gallery with tome of the Walter Crane frieze that was a feature of the Exhibition Gallery. Dr Jennings, president of the Society, gave a short address. Ho was very glad, lie eaid, to welcome the gathering to the exhibition, which he was sure they would agree was a most interesting and instructive collection. They would all join in congratulating the local artists upon the high merit of the pictures they displayed. In view of the fact that Mr A. A. Longden would give an address, he would confine Himself to a few remarks about the Society itself. It had made great progress during the past few years, the number of pictures at the exhibitions having increased from 240 to 344 in five years, in addition to which it now included a large ■ quantity of art and craft work which was absent live years ago. The china exhibited for the first time must astonish those who had no idea of what was done in that direction in _ Christ-church. The, jewellery and allied work showed a great advance. Great improvements had been made in the buildings. The- decorative schemes had been quite altered, and the permanent gallery much improved. More dressing-room accommodation had been added. In the last few years £2500 had been spent in pictures and works of art. Debentures had been issued for £2OOO, and the Society had in every way tried to make the collection more instructive and attractive and of greater artistic worth. What was wanted now was a lively personal interest. The Society had a progressive Council and a capable and hardworking secretary. But no Council could progress as this one wished to do without the practical, sympathy of the members. They wanted the members to approve their work, and to tell them of their approval; to attend the general meetings, to come from time to time to see the excellent collection in the permanent gallery to bring their friends; and to bring in more new members. Not that the Society did not have now members, for the roll had increased from 103 to 307 in the past five yeans; but more were needed, and the number should soon be 500. The paying of interest upon the debentures required money. He asked for the help of the members and of the public; with their assistance the Society would (reach the very high standard of mccess at which it aimed.

Mr A. A. Longden, British Art representative in connection with the Exhibition, gave an address touching Art at Home and in the colonies. He congratulated the Society on having secured from the Exhibition gallery a selection among which there was not one bad picture, and which included three of "the finest in the whole collection. He was pleased to have been of assistance in securing some of Mr W. Crane's frieze for the gallery, this ha\ r ing been brought about by the help of Sir Isidore Spielman. He congratulated the Society, also, upon its general progressiveness, and said that in a colony like this Art needed all the encouragement that could be given it. It wanted the live assistance of those willing to help .on the art of the province in the future, tie spoke at some length on Art in the colony, and on the desirableness of securing everything of artistic value among daily /surroundings. Commenting upon the collection in the gallery, he said he was most struck by the lack of uniformity in framing. Gold was the only permissible frame for a gallery, and even if the picture was hung for the comment of the world, it was worthy a frame. He noted that thceo artists who had been Home to study had acquired a European precision and form of treatment, while those who had not were more influenced by New Zealand directly and perhaps by the Oriental feeling for emotional colour. In concluding, he expressed his thanks to the president and other officers of t-ho Society for their help at the recout- Exhibition. Never at any international exhibition had a president of an art committee been so really interested in bis work as that great enthusiast Mr James Jamieson.