THE THREE PICTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19141, 6 October 1925, Page 7

THE THREE PICTURES.

Sir,—Mr. Upton says I have a mercantile .conception of;art,'and connects . me with plutocrats who collect. I thank him for the SEsrsei.il 'compliment, but am I any more plutocratic than he is himself- Mr. Untcu is considered to be not least of our merchant princes. He belongs to a class from * which Auckland has receive! much and f::om which it hopes for more. Wealthy men of business have been beneficent patrons..'/ of art all over the Empire. Tate,' of Tate Gallery fame, was one. So.. I think, was Felton, oi ! Melbourne, Itfackslvie himself was a merchant I am charged with focussing my attention on the .'money: value of Birket Foster's pictures. Thu charge is absurd, but, seeing that the money question been raised, may I ask what the trustees paid for these pictures ? Their trust is a public one, and the jpublie- is entitled to know the prices paid for additions to the , gallery. Mr. Upton makes play with the word "typical," but he ventures on dangerous ground. "Aeaone" and '"The Northern Farmer" may both be typical of Tennyson, but no fair-minded critic would judge Tennyson by "The May Queen" or "Tha Grandmother" alone, or Wordsworth by "Peter Bell," or Byrbn by "English Bards," or Mr. Kipling by "The Mary Gtaster." _ To present these poems as representative of these poets would be somewhat like displaying "Grace" as representative of Millais, or "Th-j Mother's Dream" as representative of Leigh ton. I am sorry if this seems to be a digression. I am only answering points raised by Sir. Upton. The main points in my letter he has ignored. Geo. H. Wilson. Sir, —I am lost in admiration at Mr. Upton's skill .and agility as a juggler. Having turned his back npc-n the real issue he jibes at me, is rude to Mr. Wilson, quotes the titles of many poems and pate himself on the back in a quick succession which leaves me almost- too breathless to reply. Then, with a truly artistic instinct for the value of contrast, he endi on two notes of pathos. It is hard to say ' which is the more touching, his " recognition of "our Guido," or his purchase, manifestly very much under its real vahre, of that little "ornament of fihe water-colour comer," from "a poor, fiowi-trodden ;coking individual.' 5 Can i% bo that I have done Mr. Upton less than justice in thinking - that the city had to thank his munificence only "for "Susanna." and that he paid that '2os out of bis own pocket ? ()r does he tell us this moving incident to prove that the trustees have such n strict sense ot their d.:t? to the public that Mr. Upton was compelled to steel himself against shoving too much pity ' for the "individual" and to'take advanUge of his dire need? Mr. Upton conelides this spirited .performance," with a graceful bow to Mr. Blon ifield. He could not very well bow to the whole audience, since it contains his critics.. But surely he dees himself less than justice when ho says that Mr. Blomfteld's letter is "almost the only worthy thing that has been said during the discussion, and quite the m™t helpful." May .t suggest that this is the right moment to jirig down the enrain on the first act" W. Page Rowe.