DECENCY AND ART.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 15

DECENCY AND ART.

p THE LINE OF DEMARCATION.. " Tlie question of what is an indecent picture postcard was decided in a South Australian Polico Court last week. If tho dictum of the magistrate be accepted somo famous pictures will not be allowed to bo reproduced in South Australia. ' Drew Rnwn. a storekeeper, was charged with han'ng sold indecent pic* ture postcards. The exhibits were "La Cigale," bv Chantron. a cooy of a picture exhibited in tho Tate Gallery. London, and a. oonv of "The First Pose." f.howii by Bo.idcll in the Paris' Salon in 1912 - Sub-Inspoetor Priest, who is the head of the detect;.--- 1 forco in South. Australia, gavo evidence that Jio lmd purchased the postcards. Ho .said he did not think they were published to promulgate indecent art. Mr. N. A. Webb (for' the defence): Do you tliinlc tho picture of "Perseus and Andromeda," in the Art Gallery, Adelaide, indecent? Sub-Inspector Priest: No, hut Ido not know where the line of demarcation comes in. Do you think a photogrnoh of Adelaide showing that statue would be indecent? -—I do not think a. photo would show much of it. . - Have ,you ' issued . an ' information against' the Adelaide Corporation for iil'lnwinp;. the sfcattie "'of' Hercules to bo in •t'h.<> spuarcP-^Noi'.'.y Is t*lio statue of . Venus 011 tlie Xorth Terrace near the' pato of Government' House indecent? —Th"re are varioun stages of indecency. To my mind it is indccent. Do you think everv stahie'ot the nude is indecent ?—Wholly yes. other evidenco, G€*pn. the nrc-.idincr ma.iistrate, sai dthe .Bench ]-.nd decided that "Ln Cig'tle" and "The First Pose" were indccent pictures. A fmc of £10 was imposed, hut it was reduced to £2. . ■ ,;/