DUNEDIN SCHOOL OF ART.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12541, 20 December 1902, Page 3

DUNEDIN SCHOOL OF ART.

The annual exhibition of the work done by tho students in tho Dunedin School of Art during tho past year was opened yesterday, and thero can bo no doubt that the quality of the exhibits is not only fully up to tho standard of previous years, but in mauy respects there are manifest signs of improvement. That there would be apparent a certain amount of inequality in the exhibits was only to be expected, but on the whole- it may be safely said that in no art school in the colony has a higher ayerago been maintained, and'Mr D. 0. Button and his stiff are to ho ooii-ratulatct' on the success thrt has been achieved. The object of the art master nnpeare to be to cultivate an appreciation of natural forms in students of tho earliest age, and the specimens of the work of the juvenile pupils shows that he has been successful in this respect. Instead of confining these young aspirants to more copies from tffd fiat', they M * f?'ven natural objects to draw, and, although there is necessarily much, crudeliess 111 many of their productions, in several instances there arc distinct promise of future excellence. Passing to tho higher grades, wo iihd. examples of drawings in chalk of elaborate classical ornament from the cart, and in this department special praise is due to.tho work of Alette, Hutton, Lisa Bridger. Jessie Kay, Iv. Leary, George White, and Lome Hutton. These specimens nre to be forwarded to South Kensington, to qualify for, certificates, and, as in every instance careful drawing and a nice discrimination of light and shade are shown, the Dunedin School of Art will no doubt prove to be as successful as it has been on previous occasions. Among tiie black-and-white drawings from the cast, those by A. H. Dunstan, although they are little more than sketches, are undoubtedly the best, being carefully and conscientiously drawn, while the contributions of F. Jovons and 8.. Skcven are also worthy of commendation. Miss K. Leary's drawing of the Discobuliw deserves mention as showing decided promise. There is an excellent collection of oil studies from still life the best being the painting of Kaby Hubble, although Mary Young and Evelyn Hunt exhibit considerable skill in dealing with their subjects. The quality S| })} Q ™ ot k >» tK o black-and-white studies JScllie Hutton's pen-and-ink drawing of a from life varies considerably, and Miss man s head stands out conspicuously in this department. It is treated in' a masterly manner, and is admirably modelled. The studies of Bessio Jones, Rllice Tucker, Jessie Kay, and Margaret Harding are clever, and show a feeling for character, and with further study these pupils should develop into capable artists. To those who are interested m the development of what is Known as the "applied arts" in New Zealand,, tho most important section of this exhibition is that in which tho specimens the design prepared by Miss Nellie Hutton, has recognised that in the beautiful flora of this colony can bo found many forms which could be used for decorative purposes,' and he has evidently imbued his pupils with this idea. This can. bo seen in the design nrepared by Miss Nellie Hutton, showing a hammered brass plate, a- "lazed embossed tile, and a, book-cover, where the Khipagonum scandous, or, as it is popularly called, the supplejack, is taken as the b a <=i's of the decoration', and when conventionally treated there can be no doubt that the forms lend themselves admirably to decorative purposes. A panel, in which the native clematis is the motive, hv the fame artist lis admirably designed. Mia Lena Hutton also shows decided ability in this department in her treatment of the native flax, hawthorn, convolvulus, and midget rose as a vehicle for decoration; while A. H. Dunstan exhibits some original designs for wall paper and tessalated pavement. In addition to the exhibits we have referred to, there are also on view several specimens of geometrical, engineering and architectural drawings, showing these departments enntain many excellent pupils who are receiving competent instruction. On the whole it may be said that Mr D, C. Hutton is keeping the school well up to date, and the work produced is'in every way satisfactory, while the encouragement ho is giving to industrial art, which is likely to prove, of more value to the pupils in the future than the ability to produce, secondrate pictures, cannot be too highly praised.