NATIONAL ART GALLERY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1399, 27 March 1912, Page 5

NATIONAL ART GALLERY.

THE BAILLIE COLLECTION. The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, which is promoting the exhibition of pictures by tho leading British masters consequent on the decision of the Government to establish a National Art Gallery in Wellington, received advice yesterday that the two hnal shipments will leach Wellington by the steamers Remuora and Km Ora, due here on April 2 and 3 respectively. The first consigninent has already arrived, having como I i , A w en,o „on .Saturday last. The who o of the collection will thus be in Weihnglonby the time Mr. John 1 Baillie lands from the Sydney steamer this (lay week, and preparations for . the forthcoming exhibition will then be at once put in hand. Mr. Baillie's determination to revisit his native city at this juncture has enabled the original scheme for an exhibition in connection with tho public gallory to bo greatly enlarged, and the people of this flnmin ion will therefore be privileged to ™iew an exhibition of British pictures of hi standard and uniform merit. The fact that he works of art comprised & these three consignments aro insured for a sum of .£17,865 will enable ar Tovws and the public generally to realise the extremely valuable- nature of the collection about ,£25,000) that has been fathered together for their benefit It IS . to bo sincerely hoped that tho public of .„ w <? hngton and surrounding districts will bcrally respond to the appeal for contributions to the "Picture tZham lnmd" so that the best of these von fine paintings may find a ■pormanent home in tho Notional' Art Gallery to be an ever-present source of pleasure ' m J instruction to tho citizens ofW ton for all time. "«»ng„,!\V ery cons "' erable expansion of tho exhibition and .the great'interest that w temp shown in regard to it has con ymced the Council of the Academy that tho Art Galery in Whitmore Street wi] be quite inadequate to accommodate either pictures or tho people who will wish to visit them and an application has,accordingly been made to tlie Harbour Board for the use of U Shed which s admirably adapted for the purpose The matter will be dealt with at thV meeting of tho board to-day, and it h not anticipated that any difficulty will be raised to granting the request.