THE BOSTON PICTURES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160814, 23 November 1920, Page 6

THE BOSTON PICTURES.

tTo the Editor). Sir, We find ihat a large number ef your readers would be much, obliged to you if you could persuade one of our •professional artists—or each of the three —to furnish the “Herald” with, their criticism of the above collection of pictures. There is much difference of opinion among us uninitiated. We do but know what we like and: what w© do not like; but, as with the scribe in Saturday’s Chronicle, we have no knowledge of art. We do not want the opinions of any but those well qualified to judge; the “know alls” ar© not among these. The professional artists we would b© grateful to for a criticism are: Mr Hay-Campbell, Mr D. Seaward, and Mr L._ Watkin, We already have the opinion of one amateur who has studied in Europe. He pronounces them to be “a fair sample of the modern slovenly, slap-dash method of painting,” and does not consider there is a wellfinished painting among them; while seme of the works are disgracefully bad, weak in drawing, colour crude and extravagant, effects unnaturally forced,’technique slovenly, subjects uninteresting and far from being high class, and says he has seen far better ■works of art from the professional artists of Australia, Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch;-while the prices asked for these Boston pictures are most ridiculous, and for far less money we have an excellent high-class work of the best and highest form of art by an ■English R.A. already in the Gallery, worth more than the whole of the Boston collection now being exhibited. He considers those responsible for sending ■jfchis collection to our town give the Wanganui people credit for possessing inore money than brains. The collection seems to him to be the work of an Art Society such as we have in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Wanganui has nothing to thank the Boston artists for, since the works are sent her© for “sale,” and Wanganui will doubtless have to pay the freight to and fro. And now we ■want to hear our professional artists’ opinions and criticisms. Hope they will oblige.—l am, etc., A LOVES OP NATURE AND ART.