THE THREE PICTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19119, 10 September 1925, Page 10

THE THREE PICTURES.

MR. A. S. BOYD'S OPINION.

NONE WORTHY OF GALLERY.

LEIGHTON PICTURE DOUBTED.

A careful inspection of the threo pictures purchased by the Mackelvie Trust was made yesterday by Mr. A. S. Boyd, who expressed some interesting opinions as to their merits and demerits. Speaking as a professional artist of 50 years' standing, thoroughly conversant with the outstanding features of the work of the leading artists of the day, Mr. Boyd said the inspection had confirmed the opinion he expressed last week, that none of the pictures was worthy of gallery rank. " I think the Millais picture may quite possibly be genuine," said Mr. Bqyd, "bat the best that can be said of it is that it might have been painted by Millais. It bears the characteristic Millais signature in the lower right-hand corner, and although it would be an easy, matter, of courso, to forge the signature, I hardly think this has been done. The fact that a picture named ' Grace' was exhibited by Millais in the Royal Academy in' 1891 seems to indicate that the painting is a genuine one. If it were a painter's or a student's copy,, they would not be likely to have copied the signature. The head, however, is seriously lacking in the charm of Millais' work. He passed through many periods, hut his work was admirable in all. The fact that the picture was painted in 1891, only a few years before his death, would explain its defects to some extent, for his powers were undoubtedly failing at that period. But even though it were jproved beyond all doubt to be genuine, I do not think the mere fact that it is a Millais would justify its inclusion in the gallery, which should only contain good representative works. It is not fair to any artist to include works that are obviously below his average standard." *

Mr. Boyd expressed himself as much more doubtful about the Leighton picture. "It does not look to me in the least like Leighton's work," he said. " There is a faint suggestion of his treatment in the draperies, but the face of the Chrst and of the children are lacking in tho inspiration which he would have imJiarted to them. Then again, there is *3eiberate evasion in not painting the face of the mother, who is supposed to be the principal figure. I cannot think that Leighton would have missed a point like that

" With regard to the other picture: 'A Peep at the Hounds'," continued Mr. Boyd, " it is undoubtedly a Birket Foster. The composition is good, but as an oil painting the picture is indifferent. Birket Foster was purely a water-colour man, arid a book illustrator. I would not have selected the picture as one for a public gallery, although it will, undoubtedly, please a large number of people." Speaking generally of the standard of pictures in tho Art Gallery Mr. Boyd said he did not agree with the severe, strictures which had been passed on the collection as a whole. It certainly was not perfect, but was gqod for a city the size of Auckland... It might be weeded out with advantage, but the same could be said of almost any provincial collection.