DUNEDIN ART GALLERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3830, 9 August 1927, Page 60

DUNEDIN ART GALLERY.

GIFT OF A NEW PICTURE

Hie New Zealand Breweries, which liad purchased 250 shares in the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, received back some £2OO when the affairs of the company were wound up, but this money they returned to Mr C. Speight, one of the diiectois, with the request that he should purchase a picture for the Dunedin Art Gallery. As Sir Lindo Ferguson, who has aiways taken a keen interest in the Dunedin Art Gallery, was going Home, Mr Speight seized the opportunity to ask him to secure a picture within the limits of the monetary gift. By the latest mail Mr Speight has received word from Sir Lindo Ferguson of his activities in the matter. Sir Lindo has written as follows :— “I have selected as your gift to the gailery a picture by Mr Harry Watson, which is hanging in the Academy Exhibition. He had a picture in the British collection winch was bought for Wellington, and his last year's Academy picture was bought by the Sydney Gallerv. The picture is called ‘Breakfast-time,“ Riva,’ and it shows a number of tables under an arched basement with strong sunlight seen outs:de through the arches. The effect is one of coolness and shade where the figures of girls are sitting at the tablas and of southern heat outside. The picture is an important one and is 56in or 58in by 42in. The price was £262 10s, but for our gallery he accepted £2oo—vour figure—and pays for packing, freight, and insurance I am satisfied the picture is a r;ood one, and I hope you will like it.” It is interesting to note that Mr H. R. Spence, the secretary of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Company, ha& also written to Mr Speight stating that Sir Lindo had secured Mr Harry VS atson’s ‘‘Breakfast-time, Riva.” Mr Spence states that the picture was priced at 250gns, and that Sir Lindo had secured it for £2OO, including packing, freight, insurance, and with the understanding that an attempt should be made to seciue free carriage. Mr Spence then wrote to Sir James Mills, who got the New Zealand Shipping Company to grant free freight. Spence adds: ‘‘The picture is on exhibition in this year’s Royal Academy, and accordingly will not lie deliverable until the close of the exhibition on August 6. ... I may say that before the advent of Sir Lindo Ferguson T visited the Royal Academy exhibition and chose several pictures which, in my humble and uncultivated opinion, would fill the bill of your gift : but on reference to the price catalogue afterwards I found niv well-seated thirst for a bargain was still to the fore, as none of my choice was priced below £400.”