M. CHEVALIER'S SKETCHES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2388, 14 July 1866, Page 5

M. CHEVALIER'S SKETCHES.

The gratuitous exhibition of this gentleman's masterly sketches at the Odd Fellows' Hall, for the last two ov three days during this week, was brought to a close yesterday, but wo observed with regret, that not so many persons as we ex- ■ pccted availed themselves of the opportunity of seeing these sketches of the beautiful scenery of the land of their adoption. Perhaps the enter- j prising colonist is too absorbed in the pursuit of ! wealth to mind things of such concern, or perhaps he lacks the faculty of appreciating the beautiful in common with Englishmen generally— at any rate, it is certain that the Hall has been by no means overcrowded. Much has been done at home to fostor that tasto for art, with which the nation generally is not gifted, but here we havo not yet advanced so far. We have no Royal Academy, no artists, no exhibitions of paintings and sculpture, no reproduction of the old classic forms. When, therefore, an artist, and as -we believe a true one, comes from Europe to store his miud with the natural scenery of this country, he should bo doubly welcome. M. Chevalier has already made a tour through the Southern •Provinces of Otago and Canterbury, and in both he has been well received ; the Governmerits of those parts recognizing the advantages which are likely to result from hia visit, hav9 given him every assistance. It is true that in the lattei* province, when the Government proposed in the Council to become his patron, some members talked of such prosaic things as road boards, but eventually good sense and liberality prevailed. The result of these visits has been laid before us ; it comprises several sketches in pencil and a few wator-color drawings; all of which show a power that it is given to very few to attain. The latter oxhibit much warmth of coloriug, and the former appear to have been executed with ease and rapidity, while all, as we havo heard several persona testify, ai-e faithful delineations of the scenes, which they purport to re-produce. In many, too, there is an attention to detail and a delicacy of finish, which in a Bketch would hardly have been expected. The most remarkable series is that, perhaps, j which represents scenes along the road from Christchurch to Hokitika— that road of which, however much money it may have cost, the Province of Canterbury may well be proud. The scenery along it is described as being magnificent ; extensive forests, mountain gorges, abrupt precipices, broad valleys, and beautiful lakes, are all to be seen there. There are some line water-colour drawings of scones in Otago, among which we may mention "The mouth of the Molyneux," and a small oval drawing representing "Type of Homestead near Dunedin." There is also a sketch, not in watercolours, of bush near Lynnwood, which is well worth seeing. Other sketches are "Lake Taylor," " Lake Shepherd," " Lake Sumner," " Canterbury Plains," " Pigeon Bay," " Dunedin and. the Bay," "Lake Te Anau," " Waiau ßivor," and

■ " Lake Wakatipu." Judging from what we hav c B already eeen, we should like much to yiewaom^ of the higher efforts of Mr. Cheyalie/s pencil » ' he has already gathered some mosj magnificent sub" 9 jects and materials for landscapes ; nnd we t believe, should he execute any .paintings from ! them, as we understand it .is his intention to do, for the exhibition in Paris, that they will attract much attention.