THE ART GALLERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 30

THE ART GALLERY.

'AN ESTHETIC EDUCATION. “ Personally, I think everything has been a great success,” said Mr Ernest Marsh, director of Fine Arts, to a reporter on Tuesday. “The collection of pictures consists entirely of the works of modern, living artists, that being the original idea. Some disappointment has been expressed that none of the older pictures by well-known men of the past were included, but space precluded, and besides it would have been running counter to the original suggestion. Regarding the British gallery, works of most of the well known artists are shown, though there are some exceptions, as there were bound to be. perhaps because the artists had not the work to send, and it was impossible to get it from other sources.” Mr Marsh said that the attendances had, on the whole, been very satisfactory. Most of the people had come on the free days, and on the other hand a very considerable section had paid sixpence and a shilling for admission. The appreciation of The public had been very noticeable, for they had not rushed through the galleries, but had studied the pictures and sculpture carefully. A larg p number of school children had been conducted through by their teachers, who had taken considerable trouble to explain everything to them. “On the whole,” Mr Marsh added, “sales have been very satisfactory, except that it is disappointing that beyond the fact that the Dunedin Public Art Gallery has bought well, others have not purchased at all. The greatest disappointment has been that representatives from the Australian galleries—Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and so on —have not been over to see the Exhibition, and consequently no purchases have been made, whereas at the last exhibition at Christchurch the Australians were <-he largest buyers. This is very disappoin'ing to the British Commissioner, as it was anticipated that many pictures would be sold. Many, however, have been sold to private buyers all over the ' North and South Islands, and quite ,a large number of interesting and valuable mementos will be retained in New Zealand.” Mr Marsh paid a high tribute to the conduct of the visitors. There had been no damage done, although a watchful eye had to be kept occasionally on the small boy. He went on to say that the British and the American galleries were undoubtedly the outstanding ones, though the French pictures had created a considerable amount of interest. Again, the two rooms in which the prints and etchings had been displayed had experienced remarkable success, a fact which was clearly shown by the number of sales that had taken place. This was no doubt the finest display, as far as quality went, that had ever been shown in the Southern Hemisphere, and he thought it was safe to say that it was finer than any that had been shown in the Old Country of recent years. As far as Dunedin was concerned, the public had been generous in gifts to local institutions. Among the most outstanding was the paintiffig “Midsummer Dawn,” by George Clansen, R.A., presented to the Art Gallery by a local citizen. A beautiful little bronze of St. George, by Gilbert Bayes, had also been presented by an anonymous donor. Mr Edmund Anscombe had presented the Otago University with a fine bronze bust of Lord Lister, for the decoration of the new Medical School. “As far as Dunedin is concerned, Mr Marsh concluded, “I am perfectly convinced that the art display will inculcate a higher and a better appreciation of art and all that it stands for. It has certainly served its purpose.”