THE WORLD OF ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18412, 30 May 1923, Page 10

THE WORLD OF ART.

AUCKLAND ARTIST'S VIEWS. TREND OF MODERN THOUGHT iOULT OF THE OLD MASTERS. Many matters of interest; pertaining to the world of art were discussed yesterday by Mr. R. ■ S. Hellaby, an Aucklander, who is revisiting his native city after many years of study and high attainment in art ■'; circles ;of - 1 the old world. Mr. Hellaby returns to Auckland with a record of achievement to his credit which many an elder artist might envy, and which might well act as a* spur to the ambition of those younger members of the fraternity, who feel within them the promptings of an impulse toward the wide flight, the battle against long odds, that ever precede the attainment of success. •■■• Leaving Auckland 12 years . ago, Mr. Hellaby studied for a short period at the Lambeth Art School in London, and then went to Paris, where for several years he was a student at the Academie Julian and at the Ecole de Beaux Arts. War broke out just as he was completing his studies, and he went on active service, first with King Edward's Horse and then with the B.F.A. After the armistice he resumed painting, working for a while in London, then in- Italy and Switzerland. In 1921 three of his canvases were accepted by the Royal Academy, including the war picture, "Two Hours After Zero," now in the Auckland Art Gallery. The following year a- figure study was accepted, Mr. Hellaby also : exhibiting, by special • request, in the Liverpool ; and other ; exhibitions. Several of his porI traits won high praise from eminent Eng- ! lish critics, among the most noteworthy being those of Lieutenant-Colonel B. C. Freyburg, V.C., Mr. W. F. Massey, and Messrs. G. Taylor and J. Dixon, of London. He has brought back to Auckland with him the two first-mentioned and a! number of other which he intends to show at the Auckland Society of Arts Exhibition next month. . „ Auckland's Beauty of Colouring. Mr. Hellaby returns to- Auckland with some very refreshing and original ideas gained during the study of his profession :in the wider spheres of the old world. It was good to hear yesterday from an Auckland-born artist. of, eminence .such whole-hearted appreciation of the natural beauties of his home city and native country. " The clearness of our atmosphere, the rich beauty of colouring to be found here in Auckland on an autumn morning, came .to me with almost the force, of a, revelation \ when I sa?w them, ; again after so many years of absence," ha I said. "The play of light and shade on '• the hills outside the city on a) windy, sunny day, the sharp definition, the clarity of the; air, • are wonderful : after the , subdued colourings and misty atmosphere of a London autumn. Not even in Italy have" I seen warmer tints, bluer skies or seas, than I have seen in Auckland in the last few, ; months." . .. . ■■''•., The unique beauty of the Hot Lakes district, the ; bizarre colourings of Waimangu's crater lake and cliffs, the i translucent blues and greens of thermal lakes and rivers, have also rouaa-d the enthusiastic admiration of the artist, and during a recent visit to Rotorua he completed a number •* of colourful and characteristic Studies. '. ■:'■'■-":' : . . ) ■!'''■': &£/£& > : .'; ; " No loss enthusiastic is his wife, who, as Miss Ruth Hollingsworth, has for years past held a leading; position among English artists. ' Her special line of study is still life,"and many of her pictures have won a place in the Royal Academy and Grosvenor Gallery, one having been purchased recently rby Her Majesty, the Queen. Aucklanders will hare an opportunity • of '-i-. seeing at the : forthcoming art's exhibition this gifted artist's work, some of e which has already been made ; familiar. to (picture-lovers thronyhout tho worl-d through the medium, of the best of 1 England's ' art :. publications. „ ! .i.',t! Art in New Zealand.' '.-.- Touching upon the subject of the development of art in New ; Zealand, Mr. Hellaby expressed the opinion that there is \ unbounded opportunity for real attainant.""With: the splendid advantages of natural grandeur, ! the colourful effects of atmosphere, this country should take a high ' and worthy place among the ■;art centres :of the Empire," he said. Upon brio point the artist was emphatic: No student should leave New Zealand '■ to follow his calling in another land without j having first travelled as far along, the path of art as it is possible to go in this country. The life of the budding artist was a hard one, with many discouraging obstacles to overcome, and he would require not only diligence and natural) talent, but a certain measure of financial backing, before he could successfully follow an art career in London or Paris. '.. " I found English schools very thorough in many respects," remarked Mr. Hellaby, " but deficient in opportunities for actual working, which is infinitely, more valuable than mere word instruction as to how to draw and paint. The Paris schools not only , give excellent lecture, courses, ' bub also work for longer hours, starting at eight in the morning instead of ten, and covering six full days a* week, with no holidays save New Year's Day. There \ i 3 much keen competition among advanced students from all countries, and the professors purposely discourage all those who are striving to become artists. This seems harsh, but is really much the kinder attitude to take, for it weeds out those who lack the determination to carry on against all odds." Back to Fundamentals. • The great need for modern artists to get batk to fundamentals, to a sincere reply to the question, " What is a picture, what is it for, , and why does the artist want to paint it?" was emphasised by Mr. Hellaby, who drew an interesting analogy between the confused and stormy elements of political life in 'European countries and the spirit of revolt against the established order of things that found its reflection in the weird cults of .Vorticism, Cubism, and similar wild adventurings into the unfamiliar hinterland of art. " Painting to-day is steadying up after ail these . freakish outbreaks," he said. " The spectacle of whole exhibitions given over to frantic strivings in paint after a goal no , mortal . intelligence could grasp forced people back to a contemplation of the true essentials of a picture. The best art is net meant for the dilletante, the person of no occupation, whose appreciation of art is little more than an effort to escape boredom or an excuse for remaining idle. Possibly this has a direct bearing on the fact that in England and the United States the keenest appreciates and patrons of modern art are professional and business men in tune with the present, who are not likely to be gulled into buying old paintings, often spurious, of fusty and dull subjects unsugg€3tive of life or anything else, just because they are supposed to carry the signature of some 'old master.' This is good for art. It provides the right kind of stimulus." " Too Slavish Devotion." A final word upon the future of art on the Continent showed that this artist of a younger generation is not without misgivings as to the trend of a too-si-avish devotion to the cult of the old masters. " Familiarity with the galleries of Italy and the scores of copyists of old pictures to be seen working there day after day all the year round," he said.*"gives rise to misgivings on two points—the poverty of original art to-day .in Italy and the authenticity of the seemingly undiminighing supply of old masters to 'the salerooms of great cities. The easy living to be gained by these ' copyists' teems to me to carry the risk of undermining the best national work of a country preeminent for centuries in the h'ijrhest realms of art."