ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2333, 15 December 1914, Page 3

ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

ANNUAL EXHIBITION (Notes by "The Lay Figure.") . There can be but one opinion as to the most noteworthy and interesting exhibit in the oils class. The contribu«ons:df Mr. A. F. jNicoli, M.S.S.A., constitute, taken as a whole, the clou of this year's show. A New Zealauder by birth, Mr. Niooll has studied in tho Old Country, and his work has evidently been influenced by the modern Scotch schol, : which favours a decided breadth and freedom alike in drawing and colour, whilst avoiding the mere freakish . eccentricities indulged in by the extreme Impressionists. Mr. Nicoll's contributions are 6even in number. His .three most notable canvases arc Nos. 210, "April ir. the Highlands"; No. 201, "Canal in Winter": and No. 204, "September, Finisterre. In the Highland scene, the snow effect on the hills reminds me of George Houston's beautiful study of late snow, in- the phristehurch permanent. collec-. tion, with perhaps, top, a suggestion of a Neils Lund landscape in the same gallery. It in a' composition of quiet dignity, with_a mellow richness in its colour which isi most charming. In the canal scene, the "deadncss" of the water ■is'-very-skilfully suggested, and in the reflections of ; the buildings tho' artist has_ also been quite notably successful. "It is, however, Mr. Nicoll's fine landscape,. "September in Finisterre;" which will be most favoured by. visitors., A [■finer, full sunlight effect ha 6 never been seen on the gallery walls. Tho combined virility and delicacy of the handling constitute an object lesson to our young local artists. Mr. Nicpll also contributes two smaller canvases—-stud-ies of shipping—much in the style of Terrick Williams, and a couple of , oil sketches hung near the entrance should not he overlooked. Two of the larger canvases by this artist have been exhibited at the Royal Academy. :

Mr. Bpwflng's Portraits. ;-■ No. 218, "His . Honour . the Chief Justice"; No. 281, "Mr. R. T; Turnbull" j and No.' 179, "Mrs. Frank Leckie," will probably be much discussed by 1 visitors to the exhibition. Speak T iug generally,' the, artist has been fairly successful in catching the'all-import-ant likeness,' although' in'the portrait of the Chief there is lacking that subtly •quizzical, pleasantly humorous expression 'with-, which so many friends' of the.original-are familiar. The poft' trait;, suffers, too, in„ some degree, by being too, small. One -11115668' any suggestibh,of, the : height, .'and,. shall. I .say, the natural etatehness of the original. A tendency; too, there is to a certain "soapiriess" in the flesh. On the whole, however,' .'-the'-'-, picture is; a successful ■; and pleasing production. Mr. . ' TurnbuU's portrait is eminently' satisfactory, both as a likeness and in the actual craftsmanship of the work. .In the portrait of the lady, No. 179, there is some excellent .brushwork'in,;the drapery,,, and . the flesh' is firmly and strongly painted. Visitors should not. neglect to look at Mr. Bowring's exceedingly clever caricature sketches in black and white— pluB : a few touches of well-placed colour —of "The Supreme Court Bench." This is a delightfully humorous • and eminently successful, effort. the President and Some Others. ; Although I,' and many others, still await a return!to. that, ;boldeiy : stronger touch which Mr. H. M-; Gore, the energetic and popular president of the Academy, put into his work—particularly his large Silverstreara studythree or four years' ago. his 'present exhibits are well worth seeking out. Both in No. 241, "Mouth of the Maitai River," and No. 139,' "Tahuna Beach, Nelson,", there, is. a . very charming aualityofatmosphere. In the Tahuna Beach scene, especially, 'there' is a clever.suggestion of far receding horizon, and' the foreground of sand is treated.with both sincerity and that innate refinement always present_m this painstaking artist's work. For the river scene, No. 228, I do rot care so much. ;It. is.just a pretty little sketch—little more. . ; Mr.; Nugent Welch contributes only one oil this year; No. 141, "The Poplars, Silverstream.'; V Aft first sight there is some suggestion of flatness about the picture, but this is, I fancy, due to the source of the dying light. In .his handling of the trees Mr. Welch reminds me of some of Sir Alfred East's landscape;work. .There is much quiet charmabb'ut the picture, a- charm which grows as the; canvas becomes more familiar. To Mr. Welch's excellent wator-colpur work reference will he made.later on. ; ; ,;

Another Wellington artist, Mr. Sedgwick, who has been steadily coming on for some time past.' goes ■ very near to making a decided hit with his largest canvas, No, 166, "Trees and Pool." The foliage is' well _ handled, but the water effect is not right somehow. Mr. Sedgwick ha 6 not quite "got it," but it, is a fine courageous attempt, with rich promise of full success to come. Note, too, No. 171, "Sunset After Rain." Here Mr. Sedgwick gives us an excellent little picture, full of atmosphere, .and replete with quiet, restful charm. The drawing :of one of the cows is palpably faulty, but for the colour scheme, and the poetry of the little picture generally, one can have Jiothing but praise. Mr. K. M. Ballantyne. That conscientious and industrious young artist, Mr. K. M. Ballantyne, is represented; by some exceptionally interesting contributions. Of his landscapes.. I-prefer No. 137, "The Tawa Trees," in which there is less of that hardness which sometimes mars his work; There is a fine aerial perspective in this picture, -which is instinct with refinement. . The centre tree in the main group seems, perhaps, to be falling cut of tho picture,' but both in composition and handling Mr. 'Ballantyne has .rarely done better work. The other -landscape,' No. 214, Silverstream," is a fine study of trees and meadows, with.figures so cunningly placed as to give an effect of great spaTliis introduction of a tree stump, curiously resembling a scarecrow, is, however, most unfortunate, and the artist would ,do well to eliminate it. Of all our younger men, Mr'.-" Ballantyne is the-most successful in his treatment of figure studies. This year he sends three, by far the best being No. 274, "Hawthorn Berries," a three-

quarter-length study of a lady in a red jacket. In pose, colour, and handling generally, this is an excellent composition, but the vase on the table would be better away. Jn No. 207, "Black and Grey," there is a fine quality of line in the reclining figure, but tho hands are poorly modelled, giving, -unless viewed from a distance not essential to the picture as'a whole, the appearance of a mass of pulpy, almost formless, flesh. In No. 232, "Velvet and Silk," tho draping is excellent, the heaviness of tho velvet being subtly and successfully suggested. But tho lady's right foot is somewhat -tfoodon and clumsy in its drawing. Tv<o Ghrlstchuroh Artists. To Mr. and-Mrs. Kelly, of Christchurch, our annual exhibitions ha,ve often been indebted for sound and interesting work. Mr. Kelly's landscape studios this year arc, as usual, full of strength and character, but are a little rough ' in their handling. I like best No. 223, "By the Sea Side," in which there is a fine, quality of breadth and freedom, • In No. 221, "A Midsummer Morning,'! the artist is less successful, , the figure appearing to be euspeaded,

as it. were, off the ground. No. 226, "The Fisherman," is a strong and pleasing figure study. Mrs. Kelly's contributions are all most interesting. How _well this lady can paint flcsn, especially in a low tone, is ■ proved in No. 150, "Winter," and in the large "Portrait," No. 187. In the first picture, a study of a lady in a black coat with ermine furs and muff, there is' a -quite, delightful grace of facial expression, and in colour and handling all through this is an exceptionally successful effort. In the largo portrait, the filminess of the drapery is excellent, but the left hand scene is curiously Tough in its modelling. Still it is_ a fine portrait, Teplete with genuine artistio grace and charm. Two small figure studies, by the same artist, Nos. 236, "The Old Musician," and No. 240, "The Old should not be overlooked. In the first, the reflection, in the humorous twinkle in. the eyes, of the satirical smile which plays on the old gentleman's mouth, is admirably'-: done, and the flesh painting, in this instance, in high colour, is just as good in its way as the'lower toriedflesh of the larger portraits. Mrs; Kelly is to' be congratulated upon her contributions this year..- -, Mr. R.Wallwork. Mr, Richard :-Wallwo'rk 'is another Christchurch artist whose work is always welcome. - This year he sends a rather ambitious figure composition, No. 137, "Peace, an Idyll," for which I do

not care very much, a very, charming nocturne,_ No. 153, "Moonlight in an Oxfordshire Lane"; a powerful sear scape, No. 193, "Wind and Tide, Kaikoura"; a genre study, No. 191, "A Quiet Game"; and an unpretentious little landscape, with a fine atmospheric quality,-'lfo. 140, "Lifting Rain, Kairaki." ... The nocturne and the Kaikoura seascape are easily the pick of Mr. Wallwork's bunch on this occasion. Jn the former the artist has successfully caught the glamour, the mystery, and the so often elusive, magical colour of moonlight. A restful and wholly flatisfying composition. In the' seascape there is a quite Olsson-like quality in the painting of the- swelling waves, and there is a fine effect of swirling in the .water close in shore. One feels that hero is bub little of any studio "working up"—the picture reeks of pleih air, direct study. The genre study, "A Quiet Game,"'is on conventional lines, but the figures exhibit careful and accurate draughtsmanship. More Christchurch Work. Messrs. R. Proctor and Menzies Gibb, artists, both well-known in Christchurch, have long ago established each his own ppecial convention, and can never be accused of any groat audacity or striking innovation, either in choice of subject or treatment. Mr. Proctor, however, has this year let .himself '[go" a little in,his more ambitious contribution, No. 175, "Where the Bush Meets the Sea. Kaikoura," and again in his seascape, No. 186, "The 'Incoming Tide, Kaikoura," displays a welcome approach to- ; that greater degree of strength in which his work has too often' been lacking. An exhibition' without a -Venetian study from Mr. Prootor, would, not be : complete. In this particular 'genre he has never done better work than in No. 167, "White Wings, Venice." Here the vossel'itself, is cleverly painted,' the water is laudably buoyant, and the picturesque background affords an effective contrast to the dominant .white of the general colour schome." A very desirable possession is Mr. Proctor's latest. Venetian'study. What shall I say of Mr. Menzies Gibb's six contributions to the oils section?' What can' I-say, save what I have so often said, that it is a thou- , Band pities this artist, who has such a keen eye for an effective, graceful composition, should be so unnaturally smooth, so deliberately "pretty-pretty," so curiously timid, in his handling of promising subjects.' Tho St. Ives scenes <Nos. 199, 215), the "Carrick Castle," No. 203, and tho "Head of Loch Fyne," No. 229, are, all what might be called "pleasing compositions.'? . Topographically, no doubt, they are "right." The drawing- is, generally good, but somehow they leave one cold and' unmoved. As wall furniture, they are' all that many good people can desire, but' Mr. Gibb could. I am sure, give us so much more virile and inspiring work. His best contribution is the small "Farm Yard Scene. Kairaki," but even here he seems to be. timid in his handling,

A Wanganul Contribution. Mr. George Sheriff, a Wanganui artist, who has lived and studied art in the Old Country and on the Continent, contributes a large canvas, No. 145, "A Dorset Moorland," in which the later Victorian treatment of landscape is skilfully and pleasingly exemplified. The wide ■ expanse of moorland and water—the. scene is in the Thomas Hardy country, at the head of Poole Harbour, near Bournemouth—is paint, ed with perhaps an excess: of sobriety, and, to latter-day ideas, too smothly. •But the picture will repay careful study. There is here no scamping of detail, no suspicion of'hasty' "slicknoss." It is perhaps. an old-fashioned method which the'picture.displays, but to those who know the actual scene, as does the "Lay Figure," the' quiet realism of the work invests the canvas with no small charm. Mr. Sheriff's other, contributions are a seascape, No. 162, "A Summer Sea," in which there is evidence of painstaking, direct work, a little hard and metallic, maybe, in colour, but with a fine underlying suggestion of action; and a charming little picture, No. 246, "A Brook Bank," in which the artist gives 'us a careful study of heather in" late bloom'and dwarf gorse.- The hanging committee have treated this picture rather scurvily by shoving it away in a corner, and by some mishap, although duly numbered, it is not mentioned in the catalogue, A concluding article oh the oils will appear shortly.