SARJEANT GALLERY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 15, 18 January 1946, Page 2

SARJEANT GALLERY

OUTSTANDING OILS TWO NEW ZEALAND LANDSCAPES (By H.C.J.) Among the oil-colour landscapes now on exhibition there are two which will repay close study. These are ‘Early Morning, The Farm Ford Nelson,” by Marjorie Naylor, and ‘ Contentment,” by George E. Lewens In the first of these pictures the sky is practically blotted out by the foliage of the trees. This robs the picture of the highlight which the sky usually affords. To replace this the artist has treated the leaves ol the nearest tree with bright greens tc denote the sunlight striking on them From this high level the eye is immediately taken down to the base ol the picture by the bright treatment of the road. The grass to the left is devoid of detail so not to compete with the road surface, which is Important because it takes the eye intc the picture and to the point of chiel interest, namely the ford with its delightful reflections of the overhanging loliage. Here the eye is commanded to dwell by the break in the level of the road, before it travels further into the composition. Shadows cast across the road draw attention to the trees and the highlights on the left of the tree trunks carry the attention to the shed. Here variety or relief its introduced by the structure, and while the eye is there it is conditier.e:’ to a sympathy with the colour of the tree trunk on the left side of the road. The shadow cast by this tree lakes the eye back to the road to return to the ford. An examination is merited of the colcuis employed by the artist Io portray these shadows on the road am. on lhe grass, in lhe foreground and in the distance. A rich warm brown is employed in the foreground shadow while a coo] green covers the grass under shadow. As the shadows recede sc do they become more charged with blue. These shadow’s help to give a further area for exploration and the slight glimpse of blue sky to be thus discovered gives the essential depth to a picture in which the whole of the interest is close to the foreground. Lowens’ “Contentment” also has Ihp ‘story’ in the foreground. A herd of dairy cows is depicted in the cool evening taking their rest in a meaciow. The composition of this herd is important. These animals, in various postures, are grouped to form a flattened pyramid which recedes to the right. This formation is repeated in the distance by including the outline of Kapiti Island. So that this reoetition shall not be over obvious the artist has painted in some

aspen poplars, and it is here that the viewer will probably discover the major attraction. These trees demand delicate portrayal and this has been satisfied to a degree which is unusual in a modern landscape painter whose chief concern is broad treatment. Lewens pays great attention to his skies, employing them to enforce support to his theme. For instance, in his ploughing picture the sky adds to the vigour of the scene, in his study of haystacks the clouds provide movement in an otherwise static subject. In “Contentment,” the long streamers of light clouds indicate a still air and help to build up in the mind of the viewer the frame of mind or the mood which the artist desires shall be there. Also to be noticed is the delicate atmosphere which prevails between the middle and the far distant Kapiti Island.