OTAGO ART SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3168, 2 December 1914, Page 73

OTAGO ART SOCIETY.

ANNUAL EXHIBITION. THIRD NOTICE. SOME NOTABLE CONTRIBUTIONS. H. Linley Richardson, R.8.A., sends down three important paintings, one of them the largest picture in the gallery. Tho smallest, however, is infinitely the most successful, though the least pretentious. “Thoughts” (59) is essentially a poetic work. Very subdued, dim, in a deep twilight, we have simply the head and bust of an elderly .man. No colour problem, no giddy balancing of paint, no contrasting of masses in pattern, no skilful arrangement of line —just a tender, refined presentment of a face with as much indication of the emotions of the soul as the artist could convey. Not that the technique is to be despised—it is subordinated. This particular class of technique suits Mr Richardson, and he employs it with very successful results, also, in the Darby and Joan “News from the Front” (41). A certain quaint pawkiness really fits in best with Mr Linley Richardson’s temperament. He has developed it to the full in this quite uncommon work. He has dealt most carefully—almost elaborately—with every detail, yet without imparting the slightest feeling of the annoyance which over-explanation offers to the intelligence. • His largest picture, however, is the subject of very mixed public comment. “Life in an Old Time Maori Pah” (128) is such a strange combination of splendid drawing with absurdly, palpably erroneous drawing that comment fails. ■ It has most powerful passages —such as the old chief and the wahine near tho post—interwoven with passages of great weakness. In its present form it will not add to Mr Richardson’s reputation, which would be better conserved by his adherence to tender persuasion rather than to force majeure. K. M. Ballantyne has a trio of clever figure studies, also of unequal merit. “Green and Blue” (1) is a carefully drawn, painted, and modelled study of a girl and draperies. It has been executed with great nicety, but fails to impress, probably from the same cause as docs the “Lady in Red” (9). In this latter work there are very discriminating brushwork, a nice sense of planes, good taste and refinement, but an absence of chiaroscuro —it is flat, and, in consequence, insipid. With less colour than in either of these, but with an infinitely greater grasp of values, in “The Black Hal” (16) Mr Ballantyne gives us one of the most, compelling pictures in the gallery. Jt lingers in the memory as a “slice of truth.” Mrs A. E. Kelly exhibits a large “Portrait” (144), which considerably outclasses any of her previous contributions, though she has from time to- time sent down many admirable examples of her art. There is that within this picture which marks it as a most thoughtful work. The weary attenuation of the subject, with her air of pathos, is echoed throughout the treatment of the work, producing a sense of unity which is touching, and rivets the attention. Mrs Kelly is sincerely to be congratulated on the refinement with which she has handled her subject. “A Spring Morning” (106) is essentially a figure artist’s landscape, showing that she has far more sympathy with paint than with this aspect of Nature. C. F. Kelly runs rather a risk of incurring the same charge. Plis work is always much admired in Dunedin. His sense of harmony of colour, his aims at effective presentment, and his abandon have always met with sympathetic appreciation; but there is a growing conviction that, even in such a successful broad effect as “By tho Seaside” (22), a little less fatness of paint and a little more Nature, of atmospheric spaciousness, would not detract from his art. For this reason we prefer his “Old Mill, Auckland” (32) to many of his more ambitious efforts. Another of his Auckland sketches, “The Harbour” (13) has enough of this quality to make it more charming than its larger, and, perhaps, more important, neighbour, “Midsummer Morning” (14). The work of Mr and Mrs Kelly is among the strong attractions of the exhibition. “ Hylas and tho Nymphs” (30), by R. Wallwork, A.R.C.A., is of a class of composition not often attempted by our artists, who seem far more concerned with the technical than the intellectual side of their art- The story of the youth despatched to obtain water for the Argonauts, and stolen away by the nymphs on account of his beauty, has been often the inspiration of the painter. Probably the most famous interpretation was that of J W. Waterhouse, which created quite a sensation in art circles during the nineties. In the pose of his principal nymph, Mr Wallwork has been much influenced by the nymph in Herbert Draper’s “ Lament for Icarus.” Waterhouse’s nymphs were decidedly of the Burne Jones, Rosetti, English type, though more robustly treated. Mr Wall work has not given us much of the Grecian typo in his Hylas, nor of tho classic in his composition, but the result is a pleasant enough picture. His most telling canvas is “ The Awakening of Spring ” (60), in which the full light on the well-modelled body of the reclining nude is very striking. The strength of treatment of the body rather emphasises the uncertainty of statement of tho head, but the picture is undoubtedly effective. Mr Wallwork has also a good study of swirling waters among rocks, entitled “ Wind and Tide, on the Kaikoura Coast” (87). “ Moonlight In An Oxford Lane ” (6) is so placed in regard to neighbours that its colour is impoverished. Though a good composition, it misses depth of atmosphere. The title “The Motor Maid’’ (134) scarcely fits the florid, somewhat coarse, Spanish head and bust which O. Bickerton has painted with such conspicuous success. One of the features of the year is undoubtedly the advance displayed by this young artist. Almost more startling is the new impression made by Hounsom Byles’s “Critics” (70). Never has this well-known painter given us anything so brilliant as the character study of those horsey individuals watching the parade of a huge Clydesdale. We have been accustomed to his pretty colour and popular compositions, but here are pin non of light and shadow, vigorously and directly stated, with a conviction which is new to us. That he can paint horses and knows their anatomy is proved in this and in the excellent action of the principal racer in “A Good Finish” (75). Both these works are of astonishing merit. In “The Bather” (67) there is exquisite academic modelling in the lower limbs and a pleasant sense of colour and composition. His more usual “ Spanish Festa ” ’ (130) and comparatively weak

“ Spanish Dancer ” (118), after more forcible efforts, leave us unmoved. W. Menzies Gibb sustains his late reputtation with the exquisite little “In the Valley, Soldiers’ Bay, Auckland” (7). The refinement of the delicate greys, which are yet full of colour, the nicely swept unity of movement of the breeze, and the unobtrusive massing’ are alike admirable. It is to bo regretted that he should have sent only one other work, " Evening, St. Ives, Cornwall ” (44), a nicely balanced composition of town, harbour, and fishing boats. ... n W. Wright’s one example in his wellknown manner, “ Maori Family ” (19) is, of course, well drawn and painted in attractive colour. Of F. Brookesmith’s numerous contributions, the most impressive is ‘‘After Rain, near Thorn bury ” (53), which really bears out its title, the moist fullness of tone in the atmosphere being most happily caught. “Takatimo Mountains, From the Aparima River” (73) is somewhat pasty in colour, though carefully rendered with good feeling. F. Sedgwick s ‘ Trees and Pool” (10) has good movement and light, but the cold impasto is _ somewhat ruinous to its effect, especially in its present surroundings. . R.. Proctor’s work is now well recognised in Dunedin. "‘The Sawmill at Dordrecht (79) is his most important exhibit, and is. a very fine study. A little dry in colour, its square, firm, and effective treatment give it a high position in tho estimate of critics. “ White Wings, Venice ” (38) shows many of the qualities associated with Mr Proctor’s work of previous years —vibrant sunshine and full tone. Tho perspective of the water is not too convincing. Reproduction has made his ‘‘Where tho Bush Meets the Sea, Kaikoura ” (103) already familiar, but it is of interest to see the original, with its fresh vigour and well concentrated light on the tumbled water among the rocks. The sense of envelopment is strongly in evidence. W. &■ Wauchop’s clever technique only needs the reinforcement of imagination and sentiment to place him firmly in esteem. The style of ‘‘Harvest, Fondalton ” (34) is excellent, but it lacks the qualities referred to. ( Much more success has attended his “By the Riverside ” (71), whore there is considerable truth in the trees and foreground water. E. Khlick’s work has elements of_ strength, but at present is unsatisfactory in colour. “Sultry Summer” (76) is probably the more satisfactory of his two exhibits. _ S. F. Osborne is palpably experimenting, often with a trowel, but success is almost within hailing distance in “Open Sea” (129). We should not be surprised to meet with something really good from this enthusiast in the near future. In spite of an unusual method, H. M'Lean’s “ The Stepping Stones ” (113) possesses merit.