VALUABLE PICTURES.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17117, 12 April 1921, Page 10

VALUABLE PICTURES.

, The Jaiies Prendergast, : for' ' ijinny years Chief Justice, of New Zealand, was-a nephew of George Dawo, R.A., aJid was tlie possessor of a most interesting-and representative collection . oh thatv arssib!s works., By his will Sir ; James has bequeathed tiie the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts for.its public gallepy. The works, ;,wliich./ are'" ; iiow >on vie)v . iifc' the 'Art- Gallery, \Vhitm9r6 street, .'Wellington, (though not yet arranged), include sevorsil canvases so large as to be suitable only for a spacious gailety, arid the Council of /the 4Vcademy" has foumi'it difficult,' in"th6'. present ciwded. staj;e ; of the gaUery,_i*>! provide, the necessary Accommodation lor them j There, are o'tner smaller works in ipil,' as well.,as, eiigravings, and .one piece of sculptm'e,' a bust' of . the-poet. Coleridge. Georg.fi Dawe,,in 1803, was awarded the. Royal Academy's* gold medal for the best historical subr.. ject painting shown in tliat year.That. work", together with the medal, it included in the 'bequests Dawo became an Associate :of the Royal Academy in. 1809 v And. was. elected RiA. in the, year .1817. The late Sir James Prendergaat' was one of' the foundation members of the New Zealand Academy. For. some thirty years he was a life member, haying been so elected in recognition of .his •valued assistance and Bupport at a tiitte' . when hel]) was most needed. The Council of the Academy has, by' resolution, expressed, its' keen- appreciation of', the' graceful and pubjic-spirited act of Sir James Prendergast in handing down for the benefit of tlie.publjc his most; cherished collection. , A. further, interesting .addition ..to xhe public Art Gallery in . Whitmore .-street.; Wellington, is. a" line water-colour "seascape" by E. Gouldsmith.- This Work has, been presented by Mrs .Noel : Bnrraiid as a memorial to hsr husband, who died recently in England. Tlie late Mr Noel Barraiid was one of, the founders-of the academy, nearly forty years ago, and, as its first 11011. secretary, rendered invaluable ser.Tice iii'the promotion oi art in Wellington, in recognition of ivliibli.ho was elected a life member. Mr Barraud, who was. himself an exhibitor at the Royal Academy, was a great admirer of 'G-ouldsmitli's work, and the beautiful picture' just . presented is regarded by the Council as a most appropriate memorial to;'the deceased artist.- Mr E. Gouldsmith visited New Zealand some thirty-five years ago, and painted n number of landscapes, some of which may be seen in private collections today. : ."