ART IN AMERICA

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12315, 9 December 1925, Page 8

ART IN AMERICA

MR CHAPMAN INTERVIEWED NATIVE OF NEW ZEALAND. (By Telegraph.—Special to “Timea ”) AUCKLAND, December 8. One of the foremost portrait painters in America, William Ernest Chapman, at one time master of the School of Art of Canterbury College, arrived by the Aorangi from Vancouver. After an absence of over thirty yeans he has returned on a six weeks’ visit to the land of his birth. Mr Chapman stated he was one of the first pupils, but, not the first pupil, of the Art School of Canterbury College. In 1891 he left to study in Paris,'and a few years later was exhibiting in the Paris Salon. In 1897 he settled in New York. During the Great War he serv-. ed as a recruiting commissioner in New York under Mr Josiah Wedgwood. After the war he served with the Veterans’ Bureau, in New-York, in establishing industries for disabled soldiers. Mr Chapman, who has hl§ studio at Easthampton, Long Island, enjoys an established reputation as a portrait painter, more especially of women and children. “I do not want to talk about myself,” he said. "I have arrived at this stage only after years of patient struggle and study.” Speaking of art in America, Mr Chapman said the influence of ultra modern art was waning in New York, and artists weie beginning to take a more conventional view of the subject. There was lecentiy on view a fine exhibition of English art in New York. Comparing this with the work of American artists he -stated that' English figure work was of much -higher standard. The landscape painting of American artists, however was as fine as anything that was being produced in the world to-day. CROWDED WITH ARTISTS “America is Crowded out with artists,” he continued. “They seem to congregate from all over the world. I do not know of them make a living. America provided a great field for the commercial artist. This work tended to spoil other art work, and there was a tendency in the schools of art to over develop the commercial side to the detriment of the artistic side.”

Mr Chapman is accompanied by Mrs Chapman, who is an American by birth,. She is the author of several children’s stories, and was responsible for the translation of the story of “Galahad” from the German. They will remain in Auckland for a few days, and will then proceed to Christchurch. ,

“I am almost frightened to return to Christchurch after bo many years absence,” Mr Chapman said. After spending about six weeks in New Zealand Mr and Mrs Chapman will proceed to Egypt, Europe, United Kingdom, and, then back to New York. , ■