ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2589, 11 October 1915, Page 3

ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

1 NOTES BY "THE LAY FIGURE"

THE . WATER-COLOURS;

Mr.oWorsley. - (

M-ilr.-' Wcisley.istill- supplies the'.Woreley- '. '■'■/'ah-article"'for :;. patently,' ii ; steady--demand by a certain , - class :of -buyer. .His- .'best, contribution •. this", year is "The Thames from the '•/ ; -Tower Bridget '.(108); jODc of. the pictures ho has sent to, Wellington-for some■ , -. time. -.: As . to-, bis ; Italians'scenes,', his , Via ■. Spaghetti,^,Chianti, 01 .Macaroni, ; -.; Eissolo;. they.: all present ascertain', fam'ly. i]i their., banal'. prettiness and - an;.irresistible ; suggestion of picture .-.' ''postcard ,subject&.. ;No, artist' m .the ■■ Do.•^mimon.ihM'iavsoMd^kipwl^ of" the .j -.:craftsmanship,' of.;wa'ter-cblour,:.painting , than has. Mi. Worsley. : 'His drawing- .is -j". nearly ; always; impeccable,:. andhe is a 1 ; master'of tho ; :effects,-,to''be.'obtained' by - cleverly , contrasted: light and .shade. Thoi ..;■■ ngures whiclv relieve the '-topographical ; .corrertness are'r cloyerly ■ introduced and ."well..drawn, bift all this -notwithstanding. the pictures seem to mo : curiously, .devoid : . .'"of tonality. and : true artistic .feeling, . and VV «re"characterised:by a sameness.' After tlie, London : scene a , smaller-drawing, "Tho. 'Wye, near Chep- ., stow/':;appeals most to me. ' \ >

Mrs. Hughes. . Unquestionably the .in the - waterrcolour, section this year lis that con-' tributed by Mrs. E. M. Hu;ihes. ■ The ; : .delicate,., quite poetic 'atmospheric effects . Her-lwilight" t95), a reminiscence 0 f , , . the quaint old . Essex Ming', village ;of - ; .Walborbinck, -so beloved of English ar'tists - and a; specially. !* liappy -' hunting •, for make tkis, picture .a speciaUy desirable possiessibni.-J.l.But' why ; ■ hanging committee place, ; |ust above ,a : pictnir© 'such as this a pic-. ■; -■ tore so' easily .to'' be -injnxed: in its'elfecfc v. by a distracting- .environment; >the, garish-. ]y cokmred relief piece of modelling en- : v-jmiicb. should havo been .amongst ; otheti --■Sl v in.-the centre of the room? .The;., hanging..,committeeihas >n- ? ade not a ; .;.Mw. blu^ders;,in ; :aiis^^"section,- but: this : - . I 36 tise.' .sounfair •• to ; : Mrs/ flughes:; is : ,sinrply: unpardonable. 3; Mrs. . also "contributes a 'harvest. field i jStiiay, ..The Valley", (78), glowing in:.col-' ! ouiv but;,perhaps al trifle'h'areh-in, tone; :, -jnd-,-delightinl V'.landscape,: ; .'.'."S-uffolk '.■;?..:M®?®V^ ; , -.=(9^),--"' i brili."- : ;liant;;.piece: of,l.;<»ns6ientibiis: plein ; >air.- - possessing a markedly noticeable .vitality of expression. All three pictures deserve and..-will-repay: careful in-" ■J. spection. • v :«r,

. Mr. Owen Merton. '^;^v,^^S.^^^? v I e •"Bvening, .ftortheam, .Eye'.'. (35),'' promptly '6cS nr * "y_ soma wisely discerning buyer, is . . by.far the bes-t; of las 'contributions,- be- '- - 3n ?. e ! l ohtfully -<]elicat<i in feeling—quite a little-gem m its irav "Conifer tetle, jJD .. (2 7- ««crves iavourablo mention lor'its.-Me.ignggestioiii.-.'of.' aerial /move-: ; 6 -fTontura'A , ma (16). is. wrong,all through, in draw- ];,: fflg and m colour, and never could, have lound • its Tightful :,place'airioDg the "rei.' iecteds. ,-- .There are. other studies'of Esi 1 1!, '' o, ™rchcs ! , : and pasture lands,, but they..are careless in. drawing: i ; ; in colour, 1 and quite uninteresting.' Mr. Ballantyne and W. Welch. ■ »,A S . : in oils, (Mr.. K.r Ballantyne and Mr. ..contribute, -.work'' much V.:'.TKe-;foriner:'6cores'.'a ...decided lut with, his clover .Oriental Bay (/oJj /vrith. its • lvoll-drawn figures in l. ''' ■'•V .?f^ r ? .and .-itsclever: : suggestion ,?r brilliant sunlight striking down through - tho clear, almost "thin" air: The same .' artists 'Crossing '-.the (82),• a ' '-femaJe floUro'prominent, .making, perhaps,just, boo,much'of 'a/challenge, in its promiri- ,.', vi'.-; puco—in the - foreground,' is' a . novel and successful - creation. .Mr.-Welch's/best contribution in this section' .is' -"Tlie : Storm" :(69), attfactiv6!in ;cfampositioh.. arid displaying - conspicuous:.%bilit:h;iri ; 'the , handling of the sand; slopes; His smaller ' ; ■■^^:Plcter.es>;'rT,he^^^^ppHi»KStl^"'V , (9)-^o'• .delightful, bit of ;cbl6ur-4:"Calm Morning, .; .Weßingtori Harbour" (SO); with its' quiet, : almost-austere.; charm ;;.an'd' "Kapiti,;from - the -lagoon", (127); , arV'all {interesting examples of .Mr. Welch's power of investing familiar scenes.with a.hew sense of beauty;;, but 1 in, "Sunshine and Shadow" . ; , ('').rho reverts to his old, arid,as I had .. . hoped, discarded fondness for. uniriteresting, -almost ugly, studies of shipping. . Mr. Hounsom Byles. .v-- ...- :• ' : This much; experienced l .English artist' several, pastel'.'drawings, figure £TOdi&, r all. well drawn'ahd.pleasantly col- . onred, "agreeable decorations for a wall, /.!■'. / ;but.:]u6t, a^trifle: too . suggestiyer-respecially ... "The . Minuet".., (31) and "A " Spanish ~ Dancer".-,(47), : /of, the; showy.;'ckromolitho-. . graphs w-hicli oome to ,be generally; . : accepted 'as Ithe--traditional ornament- of .chocolate-boxes. :' The; live ..figure studies,'. . "A Garotte". (132) and "A : Classic Dance" (157) are .both Excellent examples; of,a form ' of art ifi;which Mr.;. Byles. has few' rivals; /'■ Sound' in;; their ; .^thes6-".thinly-, draped nudes .possess; a; fascinating grace which is.; underneath, but many of us ■; ; Would have preferred some of those vigour--1 ously drawn Taring scenes by "which • Mr. . .. Byles was ;Sret, introduced- to ;New Zealandart lovers. . Miss Stoddart. - :. . - - ' , -Theidistressing efrectofwoolliness'which , ,;.for;.;the'ld3tJtwp,.or' I th'ree. years;_has,char-'

acterised.Miss Stoddart's'Work, is again apparent in'some of .the''drawings sent in by. this, clevcr Christchurch artist:."Her. most _ attractive and successful! contribution is "Autumn; Cashmere" 1 (55). Note,' too, in quite another sense, .one iiot frequently affected I) 3' Miss Stoddart, the delicately atmospheric and .delightfully decorative sea-shore piece,':' "Gathering Pipis,"- (14). In the .larger:- drawing, "Clearing ''After- Rain" (81) the cloud effects aro'unpleasantly chaotic, body colour -il; the foreground put? the composition as a whole-rather out'of lcoy.The glaring- scarlets and greens in the garden .scene,-: "Cashmere Hills" (86) 'may be, finite, true:to. nktiiro,;but. the effect on ■thi>'; eye-is 'one On the other hand, there is a ihost engaging 'tenderness in.the nocturne. "Evening Among the Peninsula, Hills" (93). ~ Mr. A. W. Walsh. _Quito the b?st: water-colour that Mr. A. \V. Walsh, .formerly;of Christchurch, but latterly i of' Auckland, has sent. lis for' some years is his "Opening in the, Busli" .(89),.'in tfliich there is a fine robustness in handling,of.colour, Mr.- Walsh is-also seen, to advantage: in his virile marine 'study, "A ■ Lonely Shore" (79), which - is 'infuEf'd'with that:fecling of individuality and sincerity': which was' lacking in the rather tepidly ' interesting Auckland' hai ; - :bour sketches of last, year's exhibition;, "A Bush Track" (37), and "A Breezv Say,; Auckland" (44)' are scarcely, so . successful., 1 .-.. . , Some Christchurch Artists. Mr. Menzies Gibb contributes- more ,ffian one interesting landscape 6tudy. His; ."Windsor Castle" ',(70) ■ shows,; ,sound, draughtsmanship;and : Has' a pleasant atmospheric quality. This . drawing 1 has been rather shabbily treated' ,b£ the Hanging Committee.'-. .It much' better deserved a place .in- ,the line than others' that not bo specified; but will.be easily: picked ."oiit>by .visitorsjto .the exhibition as examples of how) not.to-do: it. 7

: •'The,.':Kellys are."represented by several drawings', among which'a charming little, study ,of n head, "Eeverie" (66) by A. E. Kelly ; and ."Trailing ;<Mists". (67)]' by ,C. F...,Ke11y; most! noteworthy.: ; -y--':y

. '"Some highly;-,:.proniising,.,work .is shown by, another Christchurch artist,; Mr; . Wau.chop, -.to • whose'exccllent work -in: the. oils section I attention.' Mr. Wauchop shows a tasteful ?ense of colour, but . most his contributions aro , too trivial in subject. ' All very.-well'for. a; .sketch exhibition,:but.rather oyt of placo. in:what should'be d"full,dress", show/;■/ ■ .Mr. Herdman'Smith 'sends of his now^, familiarr-rather-; sketches, of? the picturesque, old Yorkshire seaport' of . Whitby. In ,his "Lake .Brunnei^,?(io6);and 1 '"A: Westtod ;Lan<keapo" (88)' h'e'.'strikes a .stronger note, which'is .very ..welcome in' this artist's":work. I". N . Mrs.. Tripe and Mr. Bowring. 1

A striking study in crayon,/"The Last letter"'(2l), by ; Mrs.' M.' E.; Tripe,' should, not • be; overlooked.;. The artist - has' ;duced ■ a ;;ndte -.ofs truly;, poignant pathos into the face, and has shown what an intensify; of ' expression, can be secured by .the simplest of mediums., -Mrs.' Triije also contributes soinsv. i pleasant,- 1 unlaboured sketches. - ; ■ Mr.. .Bowring's ...beautifully - executed, tinted portrait of, Mrs. ][.; M.', Gore '(in character), (6), affords yet another,proof of this artist's ;clever. "knack.,of . getting an excellent; likeness!" His large-drawing, "The; Departure , of - the . Hospital Ship MahenO'' (13),' is frather ,-harsh' in;-its' con- : trasts 1 . of ..glaring'; white - with .the .niurky darkness of the. rain-laden atmosphere: . As : a ;caricaturist; Mr. Bowling's ability is well',known.'. His clever ;ahd very humor,ous , caricature-drawing, of the members of the National. Ministry; >(251) shouldVnot bo overlooked in the black .and white section.v „. HeV . may.have ' failed , with more, than - one of the figures—Dr.' M'Nab and the Hon. Mr! Mac Donald, . for" in-, stance,.;, are ' scarcely." there, is.'niuci'sly humour in some of the other- figures, arid taken'. as;'a whole,, the drawing is a decided success..,v> ;. ,The. Black and White Section. . 7 To, Mr. Bowring's ,large"-'caricatnre sketch X havei already, alluded.-'",Clos9 'by hang , two ' and .daintily !Jcoioured. figure stndies'by Miss Nelson;,which reriiind-, ; me a'little of file - work; of- Annie Wench's, and in',; a lesser degree, of• Kay. Nielson's '-work. l ,;; Miss Nelson,howsver, shows; that she lias' both originality in 'design and' a personal and nervously graceful- touch,' both in '.'drawing/ . and; colour. o', ; - A.- little .'group . of: etchings) ; by .Messrs. ,T. M'DonaldJ .N. Welcli, K.:-M;>Ballari-tyrie., and E. 1 A1,5." Killick,. has attracted much attention.' :It; js ;' good j'to; welcome th'e'se'-'experiments•'•in" 1 a- medium' wbich offers Special opportunities for expression of. artistic ; ; individriality. -, Mr.- Welch has introduced, a colour effect;.'very'! agreeibly. ;-In;;the'. sculpture ;seotion.. Miss, Gvles's'gracefully modelled. figure from life (2G7), and Mr. Bender's /"Study,; of a,-Head in Mief", (2G5) '■ are highly, successfulVifforts.

Interesting work' in the Crafts section is shown ,by, Messrs.;;'A; Atkinson-; arid H. W. Carter.