A CHEF D'ŒUVRE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2287, 22 November 1889, Page 2

A CHEF D'ŒUVRE

There !b at present, la Oam aru (aaya the ••Mail'') » specimen of artlrio skill which, m oar opinion, aurpaßßOß anything of the kind previously produced m this town. Tha work m question ia a large mirror Binding 4ft by 3ft wlfchont the frame, whloh, when added, brings up the measurement ta sft by 4ft. The frame oonilatf of a bighly-chofled gilt border and broad bevelled atrip. An oval wreath of shamrocks surronada the centre of the mirror vrhlc h !a left plain, while the breard border thaa marked off Is filled up with a mooesslon of landsaapas, garlanded and Interwoven with flowera. The mirror, being a present to Bishop Moran from the ohtldren of the Catholic Bohoola, bears, at the top of the dealgn, a ohlaU oontaining ira crest, wfaila, at the bias, an Irish harp carries upon Its ourfaoe the worda of an address fr'>m the children, Tha afaiald 1« enwreathed with passion lljwero, and the harp embowered In shamrooks. The first landscape, at the right hand side of the mirror, is a view of 3t Petee'a at Rome, -with the Bridge and Quotle of fit Angolo, The oorreapondlng picture on the left hand aide, is a view of Oamarn from the hIU above the Catholic Ohcroh, and embraoes that building, Mr Meek's house, the Convent, the Presbytery Toames-street,. the breakwater, etc Thla In a piece oF masterly work, the buildings being produced dearly and crisply, and with ail the faithfulness of photograph. A little lowsr down on the mirror come a sunset view of Milford Sound and Mitre Peak, Ha twin picture being the famous Rock of O»Bhel with Its pile of eocledastioil buildings, the exqulaite traaeriea of which are clearly defined. The next pair of plotures In fchla unique gallery are a lovely aoene on the Dargle River, and the world-, renowned £akeH of Rlllarney, Powarsoourt Waterfall, and a mound on which is erected one of the ancient Irish crosses, at the foot of which lies a dog, oompjeteg the list. Bach pjotura Is gently toned into, the other by flowers'and foliage; white, yellow, and red roses, passion powers, vine leaves, popples, eonvolvuli, grasses, and shamrocks are soattered with the careless grace which distinguish an artist, aroucd and about eaoh pioture, while the whole is peoaliurly strikini?. The most astonishing feature m thiß exquisite prodnotion is the faot that it has been designed and painted within a fortnight by ono of tho conimnnity of Dominican nuns Jn Oamara. This beautiful objbt d' art 1b to bo forwarded to the Dunodin Exhibition.