New Zealand Pictures in London.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5564, 11 March 1886, Page 3

New Zealand Pictures in London.

! Our London correspondent writes r — The exhibition of Colonial pictures at the Burlington Gallery has been visited by the Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal family, and stamped with the seal of oomplete euccees. The newspapers express most ingenuous surprise at the fact of such wonderful works of art as Mr Chevalier's j "Mount Cook" and Mr Gully's "Tere- ; makau Valley," emanating from a young Colony like New Zealand. The Times, ' indeed, goea ao far as to remark that thia ahow almost justifies Mr Froude's startling « prophesy in " Oceana," viz., that if our nation be destined to produce demigods once more, either as men of action or as poets or artists, we might well look for it "in the unexhausted soil and spiritual : capabilities of New Zealand." I A broader compliment than this, I should I think, was never paid the Colony. I must ! say, though, the exhibition is a very fine : one, and will be quite a feature of the big summer show at South Kensington. ] Amongst Australians Mr H. J. Johnston . takes the first place. All the critics gush over hi 6 wonderful studies of foliage and j exquisite landscapes. Mr Gully's water colours also attracted very high praise. " The freedom and certainty of hand, and the absence of a laboured artificial prettinese shown in the work of Mr Gully and in that of the beßt of hia countrymen, are features of excellence hardly to have been expected in the art of so young a Colony." And much more to the came tune.