SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6115, 23 March 1898, Page 2

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

annual ..xmi.moN. The eighteenth annual exhibition of the Canterbury Society of Arts was opened in the Art Gallery lael evening, when there was a very good i:.itoi.idi.u__. Tlie room was laid out as a drawing-room, and the arrangement of the neeomMoiiH was very artistic. At eight oYlocli the. Hon B. C. J. Stevens, president of the society, declared the exhibition opr.n. In doing so he delivered a short address, in whioh he expressed regret that his Excellency the Governor had been prevented by a previous engagement from performing the opening ceremony. It wns incusing to know that the finances of tlu* Society were in good order, and it might now be considered to be in a prosperous condition. However,, it was not yet strong enough financially to enable it to purchase suvoral works of art which it was desirable to add to the permanent collection. It waß to be hoped that some citizen of Christcburch would yet be found ):i nr( '-hearted enough to emulate the example of Mr M'ffelvie,ot' ' Auckland, who had presented that cjty with a- Very fine of works of Art. The Hanging Cb-nmitie^ had this year taken the trouble to mako a searching nelection of the works sent in, and ihe result was that there was a men* even representation • of art than on any previous occiißion. Of this those who visited the exhibition would be able to judge for themselves. Another subject for congratulation was the large number of young artists who had exhibited, but he would have been glad to have seen mo|:e works from other parts of the colony. With the object of n tt. acting artists to exhibit in various centres, the Society had a,.. scheme on foot by which the cost of conveying pictures to the var\I ous exhibitions in the colony would. !be paid. In thanking those who had lent pictures, he referred more especially to Lady Ranfurly, who hnd done them the honour to send several ot her own pictures. i Although the Society had not sufficient ; means to add to it s permanent collection, ,he was glad to say that arrangements were being made to retain one of the - ■ works of Mr van der Velden, whioh wae " |at present hanging there. It was with. ; deep regret that he referred to the loss I sustained by art by the death of one of it* ! greatest supporters in the colony, Mr W. IH. Hodgkins, who had for many years been president of the Dunedin Society. There was consolation, however, in the fact that in the gallery was a very fine work from his brush. Mr Stevens presented the prizes won "by the students, as follows-.— R. Proctor, silver medal for land_ctipe ; Sydney Thompson, bronze medal for still life . E. Bartley; first prize of -22 2a for the best design for v the cover of the catalogue of the exhibition, Edward Hill being highly commended. '•' ;; /The President then declared the exhibi-ti«_-iopen.. -. During the eyoning,;Mr Ha^rry Rosaiter's iatriiijg-batid .v:_^dei-d.;v^meVvery; < > 'i««(_.y:: i| . ■S-le&tkras. .and light ; iefi-shnienti. were- ' _a_d_d i'dund. The exhibition this year shews an immense improvement upon that of last year, the intrinsic value of the pictures having materially advanced. The number of exhibits too, is much larger, there being 355 as against 196 last year. - The loan collection is. much larger, and the most marked feature' is the collection sent in by Lady Ranfurly . Her ladyship, it is evident at a glance, has been taught in an exceedingly good school. She useß a Whatman paper of a fairjjr rough grain, water-colour, of. course, hei_.g her medium, and her technique 7 i_'., characterised by breadth of' style and the" simplicity of the arrangement of her ' palette. The colouring is sparingly introduced, but it is made to produce the very best, the most striking effect. Possibly there are those who will object that in some instances her ladyship's brushwork is too smooth, but all, it may safely he said, will find gratification in closely examining tho examples of nature's study that she has contributed to the exhibition. The pictures are mostly views of lake and mountain scenery in New Zealand. The exhibition trill be open again today, and this evening there will be a programme of music supplied by Mr H. Wells, in which Mis_ Shanks, Mr Harry Tombs and a 'string quartette will take : part.