SOME WATER COLOURS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1661, 30 January 1913, Page 7

SOME WATER COLOURS.

V CHOICE EXAMPLES. V-;' MRS. .FLETCHER JOHNSTON'S :. ! :'; : .- : ; -.■',-■•,-".COLLECTION. :- It is only on ruro, occasions,that picturelovers in'the most' sincere sense-' of the term are given an opportunity of indulging tho eyo in a view of water-colours worth seeing., AVatef-colourists do not'ex- " fictly aboiiml in thispnrt of the'world, and -those, v/ho do essay an. occasional excursion ;into tho domain of \\vntcr-colour do so .ns.'.a side-lino to their oil work, and , conseijucntly the standard is not .-very high;; The BaiUie"collection of last year incltided a'good woter-colour section from English, artists, nud, opened pur. eyes to thomanifbldrdelights of advanced.n'rt,in . this ! particular;Bpnere. Now wo have an exhibition .of tho work 'of well-known , English;tyater-colourists .-' by Mrs.-.Fletcher_Johnston;' to, whose onterpjiise tho Dominion is indebted for tho possession '.of .several pictures;: of ■high' nio'riti-'On'e,' inpartieularj whiohiwill-co remeinbered as having' been presented to tho National Gallery, collection last year, 1 wus :Lexdeh Pocock's-"Shepherd's.Qiieori,'' a charming-springtime study, notable for / its excellent lighting and figure-painting. - „"' Ori'.this occasion; there are two remark-ably-good !water-colours by:,the same'ae- ' comphshed ; artist,-; adoniing the "wallsqf "W/rHi'-TrirdbnU's '•gallery .in'< Panama Street.'. Tho -bno which catches, the-'eyo nnd'gripsjhe.attention at onco is a large, linely-tonod water-colour,, eh titled '"Dangerous Doou'me'nts."'■ The'-story tho p.ittnro, tells is as dramatically fascinating as the art whioh is employed-in telling it.'. In tho foregroimd is a -pool :of-:water,; quiescent beneath high banks, aud on the - edge,6f : ;-th'e..,water, a'.ljoy is kneeling to drop a woighted.pncket.of papers into tha !water,i as..the.young woman beside,..hin\ ■watches; with every sign of 'pertnrbatitjn for disturbers.. And well she nihy, for in tho :.fc'ackgronnd' their •lic-nto is in flain.es. and .'r'itlinK.Qff nlorig the rdaitl,'silhonet'tctl > against; the.;sky-line, is a'company,of \ Tloundhead soldiers. It is oAsj- then to. N imagine that the young people are'mom r ■■' >.ers. of, ; a! Royalist, household, "■ arid that "" tho papers they are hiding "are iucriminat-- ' ' ing documents, tho discovery of which might.meaii.tlie sacrifice -of their lives.. Pocock is- on admirable."colourist; who; lovog\a contral/featuro in which W strike, i a big colour ,note., In; thi3 case; it is the 1 - dress of the; young' woman, a wealth of shades irr l royal purple, with a firiiltcd y'dko •reflecting tho fashion, of ,/ the day, -,THe painting pf .the'girl's.fate,: hands, ..and. the nice- poi«i of -figure is all good work, and' the-'difficult-position-(from"tho"'artist's', point of. View)-of j the kneeling boy, is ingeniously .managed. The/ , clear!.: surfa,ce of -the, pool, tho. shadows,; " /and .'grass ..clre-all-'.adjnirable .'features, in ,n cibital; bi,t offwork, -which carded considerable, praise when exhibited at the - Uoiral Academy.;\''Darigerpus',Document«"

. ■ :;.■ is. an.:ideal'.gallery; pioltiro;"' ' ':.::'• -': >■.-.. :yAnbthe'r,-Po'cock.\'-which', must-' command . y~' attention ; for'.' the; good' wort, it contains 1^ '■'.':'■■ ..''iniayßhhlen witlivithp. figuresvofiayvounx ; -' : ■'.• Tiiari ; aji'd*giTl dnminatins'the picture'in -. .:. the.'centre..: ' Tlio. jtoniiig: is.;goo(l,-..and .' ; ' ; 'th«:«7':are'«xid?nois"*f;.-'chrelriiyftHei>ifon' ;.Ct*.-;39taH,"-y.bri|;/! l ■;afa'..'..;-rathflr.' '..'/large.-faT't'he/Uaiice^oi^tKQ^picttirA,^)!;! ■ "■< v.,tfihdHo'-. : pvor\fhete';-'-'thfi-'.sat i fiins....rA9j , ]ii' - . / I : :..: "Dangerous Documents'^--'-;a'f little ■'.Tnore, . head room would 'to an imnrbvement; [■:!'.:, ;.;;. y.A'.pictufe of. the [purest delight by' thc : -/ v; 6ama;tiilented artist is "Tire Mill Stream. I '- ■;: : :::'i-:a /':study;: 'in .'ogreeiis'■:-."and - blies.: •■: Pocock;'s'gei\ius in'paintirig'wateT te'the :.: shad*-, is- capitally rep'rotorited? in^'thisy.littje picture 'iantK'-the.-'.daSlifhfrsilnliaht" ' '/ which ; brtghteris.thS;baek'grol3lid'is'''a oleVoT: •'■i-.'-.-^oeiiWiStiottv'd^UlW'Tdark-^pee-shadoffed'-y. ,y y water :in ! th'e»-forefroii't ,of ; .',tho;- vpicture. " Trulyi a ydesirable ■'• paintingtuihivPaoock-3-' ;■,■ ■.:.;wßt.stjle\'''. , 'i 1 ;,;;,,,:'.''i-.y.1/;.''',.'..;,;.!!,.;,. ~\ '. ,y^ ; "The. Tulip Bed".'is a gay coloured sec-. . ..tmiii.'pt. a 'formal garden -with h> blaze of • .'.-■ ,y "tulips/smiling- beneath ;nn old - .The,'fprm; /colour,'/-and- draughtsiiian'ship; : ' '/:. ard 'good;;:. '■'"" .y ; .y.>-' ; .' : . > '?-i i .'- , . > ''- '■'- ■•:-■ !,.;■:; That aged paintarG. G.' J Kilb'ufne;-,8.1.; *■'.'-• n b:' .''diminution' : i,n f ..,/.. swen'gth ; and/artistie-care,'is represented,. • W i- t ! ; p* c^arm ' tIK Picture' entitkU "Tlie /.y,,. y-Hoir'Mh.B interior bf^d-'comVortable'-old :'»/.English -mansion-(Gfcoirginh^Tvith/'a'figiire'' ■■:' ',^oup:in.:'the'centre,,the', yoim'g./iiiother '-';•*'. proudly isho\yingl;hei:baby;-,'to.: a'/stately yy. old 'gentleman,'-(evidently:'' /the,child's ■'-'~,-; grandfather.' • What-one'is forced/to ad- ,:' . mire in.Mr.yKilburne's.work is the com- -./.';..';. pletenoss'of. ; -his:vschem'e-T-ilbfhing' jarsi'. '■■'•' / I : 'whilst.he■ ujes'colours,and patterns.in his' ,--, >. , cos. toes, .-curtains,:, rugs; ctb.,..there.is a ■ v .> ■',-•• 'in"'(his .pictures. ;,/-,; ; alwnys' yy pleases';;,-'.; "Christmas 1 ■■-.;■ /-(TimQ i s .is; ; auothec./little'; gom^"from > the ■/,'.;eame/;brush.'.;-;.;-//,y'.yy/ ;y;--yy:;:y,:y ;:'" .*■;..', "■'<■ .' ' : , A n .';" r ''st'' i whoj o / W 6rk is always a treat _ ■•;'. ■.-;. tqysee.isyFollen -Bishoj), It.b'/A-, A.TI.C.A. "..-•-. Perhaps'thcyyory'best'cxamplo o'f bis ex-- -'// New; a/large,, water-colour .entitled y'.--C.,j-.f,banshihe,-Afte>^Hßiri,'',,la'..'giow>hi!-Vcan. -:..;;.vas,;iii/Which the artist,has caught the f • ; yery-spirit,of : the Englisfi/autumn. 'It is ; /-,a rond, through:a. wood,, withythe foliage of tall trees'nflreywith.flickering ,reds/a'nd y;-golds.yof/the season.'/ ;Thero yare yfresh" : .-:• beauties in'".this picture at overy view. ■'•>■■•! fronV/the: brush of"Mr'.' ■:■,.)/. Walter: SA.Stoceyi'ilvice-presiden'ty.of the Ij!:: Dudley;; Gallery,/, are ''■. alwjiys..' welcome. •? .There'is a;distinct, atmospheric charm in -:;r.'; : ,'Us':"H.arves.i;in De>-oiishjre v ". the high'yy; laden wain; trnndling>«p -through the ;-W,'V-:.^^fi«ld.';.n»'.vthe v ;jnists i .-'bf/ejfening-''softly ' > '';,y : ,oatl)e./.:the '/distant -'countryside.' . "A . y;,: : ::Brftokeri.clad.;Hlll,'' .which place - V ■;■! at arccent .academy, ish^fdly'sointerest-. though fnithfiiliin-its' colour scheme. ...'■ ,-< The Tespurcey-of _tltii\ ;: 'artist : is'Tveir.' dis-. played a'small canvas iii ,'. •y.'-K'tho corner, entitled ■"The,-Hoast;.B»ef of / -Old England.;'/: Artists'admit ;thnt it is /' ftfr -from; easy.to'ydenl. with a /'humorous /.; subject effectively (hist/as comedy is the •", most dimSiilt:to write.ln sta»o 'liter.iture), '~-;. yet Mr. Stacey hiis as.good a'.joko.Jn (thcyyeryrideajas.wd havo ■seen.'..'■'■' It.-'is./a:; medieval scene,:showing' a stoiit servant'slagge'sing-in witha -lus- . .cious 'sirloin' dfibecf'on a-liuge platter.'. ... As he docs 1 sfl.h'e..treads/on-the foot 0) :■. •". d small .dog .heicannot'seey-which' retnli-. . ,; atcs .by biting his leg/and as a result- , y 1 the sirloin, much to. the amaze-; rnent^of/tho'lord-of the manor, and/his : v -' .family.- : y ' A._ yy ■•".,;.- ,-•:.;'...-.-,-.;.; ,V -,' -,One )■' can' /always : .depend ' von . a ( sniff;.:ofyythcv"Ubriny;from Mr. ; yFi /, --J, Aldridge. -Hiv- browh... sails, sturdy y'.z S(sh6bners;-'and ! mopdful 'seas 'are\yery'- well '/ , '. ; known'to.all ldvcrs 'o£. rriar'.ne pictures. . -' ; There are-'firie examples of Mr. Aldfidge's '• /-work in. ; "Anfold Suss?x Port," '.'On the Maas/'.."On the Thames," ond "Little-: '■•; ; lamptori." "Another marine'painter who is ; ■.., -, sitfre'-to make 1 his mark is, Mr- A.0.! Wliit- ,,' ..tingdon,-of the Dudley;.-Gallery,' whoso ',--.. ivbrk is cle.in; 'freJh, and alivo;'■■': "The '.- /' P6OI of London,' Evening," is an ejetra- . bjfdiharily fine pictnre of the.familiar spot oil the Thames.' Mr. Whittingdon knows

•i. ships, and. has .the"• rare faculty of .boinst, ■;. . able to "r.aintrth6'thing as'he sees it r " i •■ -And tha result is n> glimnse of the old '-.:■: -river teeming with craft of'all Wnds. from V; .'.■'." , the arrogant liner I ' to the humble wherry, , : jiimblcd in ordered disarray below Tower , ; f -.Britlgc-. ..TheroLs life and light And move- . ~'.. ment incyery. square inch of.the picture. ;:.:.■•.•"Moriiiiitr ; (it'- , Tilljury"vis,'; another good' ■ .•'. - painting by the same promising artist. An : nvtist,whose work.coihmands recog-' (■-. . .ition , is■■" Jfr.'.':'iTames- Cafe. (Dudley ■■. Gnl-. ■'■•'. ■ lery) K .who.hns mnd('.. l ni'chitecturnl paintr'. ' ing.a.study.'''No'florist very well •ndvniiced wniiUJr drefln .of so.veftturing, ■:■ '■• and MivCafo is notably successful. Note -the-painting of the stone,, work 'in v'*The Poet's Corner,' Westminster. Abbey," and , ' i the breadth and dignity.which is lent the ; .'v'., ■~ fcene,,where Chnueci». Browning, Long- •'■:' '. 7fellow,'fliiil Tennyson aro'honoiircd among :-'-England f s great.. "/The Cloisters, West■uninstor ■Abbey,",-is another/very original .7. picture by" Mr. f Cafe.7 The.snow lies piled r ~.'•• 'up against the Abbey., and in a faint glow '■ X' of light can bo dimly discerned through •.-'rjtho windows n procession v of surpliqed ':.''choristers, nnd high overhead in the -cold looms the Victoria Tower .of 77:'. v ;th<£Hoiises of Parliament. . ■ • '■'.:. ■■; Mr? Vita. > A (fleck has some examples of ■'-.Ms Mclean; dainty, and highly-finished ' '- : worif, and there are some fine'-.examples ' .'•froni--'the/brushes ofMr. J. Shaw Crompton, R.T.i Jlr.Sherid.su Knowlcsv'R.l., Miy K. A. K. Marshall; Mr. F. W. Booty. Mr. 8, 0. W. fioscoe, :Sienqr A'chille Buzzi, . Mr. W. Scott Mr.F. Maroney, and Mr. W,.Alfred, .-'.:;.,. .7.7/ ','■:;■■ ■'.'.•'• The liiing at Turnbtill's '.- 3allerr.in:t'ii«anin Street—will 1?2 thrown open, for nitblic inspection from Ifl a.m., : . to-(T.\v. Mr. T'letchrr Johnston' will he in ,'•'■'■'' nttendjiice- '