New Additions to the Mackeivie Collection.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XVIII, 29 October 1904, Page 21

New Additions to the Mackeivie Collection.

A POOR SELECTION. OPINIONS OF LOCAL ARTISTS. A consignment of new pictures for the Maekclvie collection has arrived in Auckland, and are now being hung at the Art Gallery. As, in the opinion of the writer who usually contributes criticisms of local art exhibitions to this paper, the pictures are, with one exception, utterly unsuitable for such a purpose as the late Mr. Maekclvie undoubtedly intended, and as the general public is not, we consider, likely to be favourably attracted by the new purchases, an interview was sought with Mr. Goldie, the well-known Auckland gendre painter, whose ability as an artist himself, and whose experience of English and Continental galleries might justly entitle him to speak as an expert. on the Maekclvie collection in general and the new pictures in particular. Mr. Goldie consenting, an adjournment was made to the gallery. Asked frankly if he considered the pictures a good pur-

chase on behalf of the trustees Mr. Goldie said decidedly "No." With the exception of Mr. Hall's picture, ami Gold,’’ a really able and instrtu-Uvo work, the pictures are a poor lot, and one cannot understand why Mr. MnroWfe Stone should have made such a m<-lec-tion. ‘ Pictures for such a gallery »s \\t want to form in Auckland/’ said Mr. Goldie, ’ should fulfil two functions. I*ietuies which have a story to It'll. and toil it plainly and well. and which, therefore, attract the visitor to return again and again, and which create and stimulate a love of art where least expected. Of such pictures Blair Leighton’s ‘ln Time of Peril’ is a most c.<- < client example. It appeals at oner to the imagination, it is comprehensible to all. it appeals to the tend ere st emotions, and. moreover. of its school it is most admirably painted. That i< on? sort of picture to look for in starting such a collection as Auckland may possess. The other function is that they ern-ist of pictures which should hr of us? to students, and, therefore, should c-ii'i-t of th? finest procurable >p.c mens of recognised masters of certain branches of art. These two can. and arc, of course, combined in many pictures both genre and landscape.

‘•Jt cannot,” went on Mr. Goldie. ‘l»e Considered that the purchases of this year fulfil either of these objects. Not one of the seven has any story to tell, or is likely io draw visitors a second time. Mr. Halt's work is clever and attractive, and has both daring and detail which the student may with advantage look into; but even it is. perhaps, an artist’s or private collection picture, rather than one for a public gal’ery just starting its collection, a« is the case here.”

This picture, it may be explained, represents a gypsy caravan at a turn in the road in the English country side. r J ho title of the picture is “Silver ami Gold,*’ and the reason d’etre then of is that the ground in the shadow in t lie foreground is silver with hoar frost, while the hill beyond and some trees on the light of the picture are brili'antly golden whore the fust rays of the winter sun have struck them. Unquestionably it is far the best painting purchased this year, and on its acquirement no fault can be found save that, clever as it is, and beautiful in its own way, it is a picture of a type for which we could wait till a more attractive nucleus for * municipal collection for so young a coinnuinitv has been formed.

“Again.” said Mr. Goldie, stopping in front of the picture by Mr David Murray, “it would have been quite right to pur chase a work by so eminent and able mi exponent of landscape painting as Murray, but surely one of the be.-vt should have been obtained. This one is certainly not that. I wond‘*r, indeed, he ltd it leave his studio.” This picture. Ihe interviewer may explain, represents a meadow scene in England. There is a newly felled tree in the foreground, a line of freshly green trees in the middle distance on Ihe rigid, while a typical English village is seen in the distance. It is a pleasant enough little canvas, but is either an early product ion of the artist, or an exceedingly cm less and unsatisfactory specimen! of his work to-day, to the best of which it bears no resemblaiice whatsoever. None of the other pictures should, in the opinion of Mr. Goldie, have been purchased. ‘‘There is nothing really instructive or useful ta the sfudmit in any of them.” he said, in answer to a query, ‘‘and 1 do not fancy they are of the order which will attract the public.” While at the gallery, it was impossible not to notice the grotesque results achieved by the extraordinary action of the trustees, in glazing (ho majority of the several fine oils which the Gallery boasts, and the interviewer asked Mr. Goldie if he did not consider the glazing an indefensible vandalism.

“It is certainly and utterly wrong and inartistic.” he replied. “As you remark. it has absolutely ruined many of the finest pictures, show cases, statuary, chairs, frames of other pictures.

and the persons looking at flic picture being brilliantly reflected from the glass, so that it is difficult to see the picture at all, and all hope of judging values, or getting any true idea of the artist's real intentions is impossible.” ‘‘l think 1 ntn right in saying that in no gallery in the world are large oil paintings glazed,’’ said the interviewer. “Certainly,” replied Mr Goldie; "it is never dreamed of save in perhaps one or two very exceptional cases, ami this almost exclusively in semi-privaie collections, and in these instances the frame is hinged, so that the picture may be examined without glass. In the great galleries of Florence, the National Gallery, the Louvre, there are old masters valued at tens of thousands of pounds.” ‘Would glass prevent oil paintings from cracking? That, one understands, is the idea of glazing them.” “Certainly not. in .my opinion, 1 fancy it is the use of bitumen that is causing certain pictures to crack. ft is a beautiful colour to use but dangerous for this reason. Over-straining of the canvas would also cause trouble.”

As capable exponents of landscape painting in the colony (the former excelling in water colour and the latter in oil), the opinions of the brothers Frank ami Walter Wright were also obtained. and both, while finding good points in three of the pictures, confess to being very sadly disappointed with the year’s purchases. “We arc. going back instead of forward.’’ was the opinion of both, and both agree that three at least of the pictures are lamentably crude and amateurish. "Do you not think, Mr Wright, that we should have more popular pictures, paintings which are rightly termed 'gallery' piettires?” "Certainly a proportion.’’ said Mr. Walter, “but also a due allowance of as tine specimens of different schools of painting as can be procured. We expect to learn something from the pictures which come out here.” -iml Mr Wright launched into several te-hnicali-ties on the point. “Yes,” interposed Mr Frank Wright, "Do not yon think we might have justone specimen water colour now and again? Picture lovers like to see them in every collection, and a picture by a master would be immensely appreea'ed Vy those of us who prefer the water medium.” It will be seen from the views expressed by the artists quoted, who are surely 5n a position to judge, that this year s acquisitions are not of the most, fortunate.