NATIONAL GALLERY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1444, 20 May 1912, Page 6

NATIONAL GALLERY.

CROWDED ATTENDANCES TO DATE. : THE WAEDELL MEMORIAL. There was a very krge attendance of the-publio-at. the exhibition of British pictures on Saturday and on Sunday af-, ternoon, the crowd' of visitors packed the gallery to its utmost capacity. The lately-arrived Dickseo painting "The Mother," which-has been suggested as the picture to ;be to .the National the lateH. S. Wardell, .-;w - M ; tli6. centre '"of >attra'c-. tion.' The'etchings. by Brangwyn .were' also much admired. The daily attendances at the exhibition ■lip to the present time have been most gratifying, and bid fair to constitute a record that will not easily be beaten. The picture fund will undoubtedly benefit very considerably from .this soured The Chamber of Commerce has selected the work by James S. Hill, E.L, E. 0.1., entitled "The .Tower Bridge, London," as the picture whiclx.it would like to present to the National Gallery. This was very popular with the public in the recent bnlJot, and ended second in tho voting. Bringing liome as it does to the visitor an idea of the commerce to the great mart of the world, it is a very appropriate picture for presentation by the chamber. A sum of .£99 lias already been subscribed by the council and members, and it is expected that tho balance required (some i6O) will be raised without any trouble.

The fund that is to be devoted to the ■Wardell memorial picture is now well over-iIGO, and is expected to grow rapidly aa tho proposal to pay this tribute hecomes known to the many friends of tho deceased gentlcriian. A substantial donation .has already been received from tho Wairarapa district, where the late. Mr. "Wardell spent so many years of his life.

Subscribers to the National Gallery fund-who have, not yet forwarded tho amount of their contributions are asked i to do so, either to the president or secretary'of the fund at 75 Grant Road.