N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS
THE WATER COLOURS, ETC
(Notes by "The Lay Figure.")
Tmußt confess to a certain feeling of disappointment with the water-colour section this year. Certain well-known artists arc not represented at all, and tho work displayed by others who usually are well to tho fore is t-oo often mediocre and unsatisfactory. Of course, there arc some notable exceptions. Tbu6, Mr. A. F. Nichol, who went to the front and was recently reported wounded, contributes a series of Egyptian sketches which are deck!-' cdly above tho average. In those charming little drawings Mr. Nichol proves that even Oriental scenes, proverbially rich in colour, can bo represented with a sobriety which does not in the least dotract from their picturesque effect. A specially delightful speoimen of Mr. isichol'a art is No. '2'JB, "The Spice Market, Cairo." NearEy are other Cairene scenes' from the samo brush which wTll well repay inspection. - ■ _ ' Another young New Zealand aitist now in England, in whoso progress a good many art lovers are interested, is Mr. Oivcii Morton, R.8.A., who is represented this year by live or six mod-est-sized drawings, hung on -the line just at "tho head- of the staircase. None of them fulfil tho fair promise of Mr. Merton's earlier work. With the exception, perhaps, of one of the Fontarabian studies, in which there is some effective light and shade, they are. disappointing. One looks in vain lor some such successful effort as was the "Concarueau" of two or three years ago. Perhaps Mr. Merton is retaining his really important work for English exhibitions.
Hung above Mr. Merton's productions "is a boldly conceived, stronglypainted picture, "The Farm Yard," b.v Mrs. E. Hughes. How tlie lianging committee can justify the poor position given to tbis picture I cannot c.onccivc. In Mrs. Hughes's second contribution, No. 224. "Cornwall Before Harvest," I find tlie all predominating greens just a trifle too insistent. But it is fine, courageous work, affording a welcome relief from tho mere "pictorial" banality of so much of tlie work which surrounds it.
Mr. Worsley's pictures always have an appreciative public. This year he is better represented than usual, his subjects, tliougli ho is still largely faithful to Italian scenes, beiDg a little less familiar, through post-card and other mechanical presentation, than lias been the case in former years. No. 219, a. sceno in Verona, and No. 364, "Nottingham," in which there is a line atmospheric quality, seem to me to bo his best. The "Nottingham" is most unfairly skied, being hung above the staircase, over a number of the Chevalier / sketches. No. 263, "A Bit of Old Worcester," is a pleasing topographical study, and "A Sussex Larfe," No. 300, will come as a graceful reminder of the peaceful beauty of rustic England. . Miss Stoddart's drawings nearly, all suffer from the same defect of an overemphasised foreground, with a background which does not reccdo sufficiently. This is specially so in No. 227, "In the Hooker Valley, Mount Cook," and in "Tho Glacier Flowers," again. No. 225, "Sunlight by the Sea," is Miss Stoddart's host this year. Her othor marine _ study, No. 321, "Surf on the Bar," is disappointing.
A newcomer this year in this scction is Mr. .Blytho Fletchcr, a young artist who lias recently settled in Christchurch.. Mr. Fletcher's stylo is at first somewhat reminiscent of that of Mr. Worsley, but while lie has a fine sense of colour, which lie uses most unsparingly with n rieiv to getting strong effects, his draughtsmanship is often faulty. Take, for example, his large picturo of Hull, where the perspective is quite .noticeably at fault. ' If Mr. Fletcher will but putin some careful study in draughtsmanship lie should, later on, give us some very delightful work. His best contributionsare No. 269, "A Market Scene, Yorkshire," and 1 No. 357, "Damascus." an Oriental scene, which Mr. -Nichol would have painted in. a much lower key and yet.got. just as striking a colour ejTect. Mr. H. Linlcy Richardson, R.8.A., is represented by a viow of tho Tinakori Hills, with tho'wireless'station (No. 326), a painstaking study in very low, 'almost deprcssingly ■ low, tones; and, in curious contrast, a brilliantly coloured picture of two delightful children standing against a positive Maze of sunbathed nasturtiums, No. 329, "In the Dapple Sunshine." Both pictures arc suro to proroko much debate as to tho methods employed and degree of success. achieved. For my own . part I much prefer Mr. Richardson's wclldrawn and' soundly-painted ' marine study, No. 332, "A' Fresh Morning." Messrs. F. and W.. Wright,'of Auckland, contribute some interesting landscapo and marine studies. Specially noteworthy aro Mr. F. Wright's "Tho Valley of Routcburn," No. 265, and tho samo artist's "Aubrey's Mount, Whangarci Heads," No. 220, both of which are pleasant transcriptions of picturesque Now Zealand scenes. Mr. W. Wright's "Auckland Harbour," No. 330, would he more pleasing were not the shadow so deeply "lined'out" as to suggest a stone wall-like rather than a marine effect. Mr. Noel Barraud, who for some time past has been residing in England, sends three pretty little sketches of West Country sccncry. Mr. Barraud has broadened his stylo of late with excellent 'effect oil his work, which in the past suffered from a certain tamoness. His' "Dartmoor Farm in Summer," No. 214, would be a very desirable possession for any art lover. Of Mrs. Tripe's water-colours I much prefer No. 232, "A Sussex Clover Field.-" Her other contributions are pleasant little skotclics, but scarcely up to exhibition form. Mr. Menzics Gibbs, of G'hristchurch, so well represented in the oils this year, sends two agreeable littlo pictures of which I prefer No. 235, "Sunshine and Shadow," and a word of praise must be accorded to Mr. C. Hay Campbell's figure studios, notably No. 325, "A- Knotty Point," in which tho artist gets real character into tho faces. Mrs. A. E. Kelly, of G'hristchurch, has a dainty'littlo study of a female head, "The White Cap," No. 307. Amongst the pictures lent for exhibition is a large drawing by the lato Mr. A. W. Walsli, a scone in the Marlborough Sounds, and two smaller mariuo studies by the same hand. A small-sized version of the larger subject was seen at ono of the academy's exhibitions some years ago. In its larger form the hills at the back seem too close npon the water—they do not reccdo enough. I prefer the smaller marine studies, especially No. 316! Miss Holmes has kindly lent a most fascinating architectural study, No. 225, "Henry V Chapel, Westminster Abbey," painted by Miss Gertrudo Kelly, an English artist of good standing, and some smaller pictures have been lent by Mr. Gore. Space limits forbid any mention of the remaining exhibits. Speaking generally, tliery display a certain degrco of progress on the part of the artistsMiss Jessio Evatt's work, in particular, struck me as vory promising—but in too many instances the drawings ara mere sketches. In a sketch exhibition they would be quite in place, but it seems to me that in a "full dress" annual exhibition of the Academy, finished work should bo insisted upon.
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2905, 18 October 1916, Page 8
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1,179N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2905, 18 October 1916, Page 8
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