PICTURES FOR AUCKLAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1074, 11 September 1930, Page 8

PICTURES FOR AUCKLAND

MACKELVIE TRUST PURCHASES WHERE WILL THEY HANC? A very large collection of pictures for the Mackelvie Trust has been p u ? chased in England, Scotland ani France, by Mr. E. W. Payton. They will probably reach Auckland in about six weeks' time. Mr. p a . ton is sailing on the Rangitane, lea-, ing Southampton on September ->5 and the pictures may come on th» same vessel. The income from the Mackelvie Trust for the purchase of pictures amounts to more than £I,OOO a yeaand as practically no pictures have been purchased for the last nine year* this means that Mr. Payton had about £9,000 at his disposal. The Art Gallery is- at present hop-, lessly over-crowded, and there seems little hope of finding any more wal’ space on which to display more pietures. The only method which could be adopted would be to clear out some of the less-important works of art to provide for the new pictures. MODERN WORK Mr. Payton has visited exhibitions in England and Scotland and the Salon in Paris. He has purchased pictures both privately and at the exhibitions, so the probabilities are that he trill have some good examples of modem work in the new collection. Sir Alfred Bankart, chairman of the board of trustees, and Mr. G. H. Wilson, one of the trustees, have assisted Mr. Payton in his choice of pictures. Mr. Wilson has made a studv of English watercolours, and the assumption is that several good examples of watercolour painting may be expected. In a letter to the secretary of tin trust, Mr. Payton stated that pictures were remarkably cheap at presen; and that the artists abroad were net enjoying an era of prosperity. The last pictures purchased by the Mackelvie Trust were three by New Zealand artists, which were bought in 1925.