N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 5, 1 October 1917, Page 6

N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

NOTES ON THE PICTURES , (By "The Lay Figure.") THE GILS. For come reason or other the exhibits in tho Oils section at tliia year's exhibition are scarcely so numerous as usual. Thero arc, however, many pictures of exceptional interest, and, on tho wiiolo, considering that several well-known artists tire -away at the front and that others are engaged in war work which leaves them littlo leisure for art. there is much in the show t< v interest the visitor. Outside ait centres are scarcely so well represented this year >is usual. Auckland has sent hardly anything at all, and Mr. Menzies Gibbs, of Christchurch, is a notable absentee. 'the southern city is, however, well represented on the whole. Much more could be said by way of general introduction, but as space is limited I will follow old Aatley's advice and "cutting the cackle" "get down to the 'osses." . . Mr. AY. E. Bowring's contributions this year are eminently interesting, displaying as they 'do marked versatility in both subject and,style. Lady visitors to the exhibition will be specially interested i!} the largo canvas (No. 200) ' Jocelyn and Pam Riddiford," which occupies a place of honour on the western wall. lho artist has beon singularly fortunate in having to paint such charming kiddies, and tho pose of the figures is ;all that could be desired. But the peacoclc on the tscreen is surely too obtrusive, and tlio picture suffers, so it seomß to me, from a certain hardness and lack of atmosphere. Mr. Bowring is quite at his best this year in his finely decorative fig"™' study, "The Chinese Lantern (lso. 281), an exceedingly effective and successful eifort. He also gives us in At the Bay(No. 202) a welcome, transcription ot_ a well-known scene, painted with a lightness of handling and a certain note ot (shall I say?) sprightliness and gaiety which is weHln keeping with Days Bay as weiknow it on a bright'summers day. A small canvas, a scene (i\o. 4G), is a clever bit of colour, which suiters, however, from being hung too low. Mr. Bowring deserves high credit tor Ms "January iSorning" (No. 289), a studj of bathing nymphs, placed, Corot-like, amidst a charming sylvan environment. The figures are admirably grouped and drawn, and the painting of the a'" l ™!- ingly tenanted woods shows both strength and charm; and marked ability in the handling of sunlight. The picture as a whole is well composed, and is sure to attract well-deserved attention if only for the artist's courageous departure from the conventional—so far as &ew Zealand art is concerned. . , . Mw. J. A. Tripe is represented this year in the oils class by three portraits, of which by far the . most pleasing and successful is that of Miss Lo |f a (No. 282), meicly as a minting, j s possessed of a. decided deftness and chic which is eminently attractive. The portrait of the the Academy, Mr. H. M. Ctore- No S!«). is somewhat disappointing. It is a. good. If not exactly a striking likeness, Win the modelling of the face-especially the mouth-there seems to be some lack of decision. As for the portrait of Miss D. K. Richmond (No. 268), t bw »• the impression of being The cidl our of the face would be bet^ little toning down, and an air ot wistiui Irace and eharm which one associates with the expression of the sitter is lack,n Mr and Mrs. Kelly,.of Christchurch, aro represented by quite a « f ' strikingly beautiful figure study, a lady with floppies. Some very severe things W K°n S of d tho HaUn' n Comn^ittee B in releI)CStl )CSt fiftS t a'trlflrfmentalis«l but what a relief from the loud and prefer • diX a ten: PGat if'nature sound drawing and •" "LiSle'MNo 244), which is one of fine atmosnliero in this W«e & is in admirable perspective, and the su^ gestion of dead stillness in the vater » ~« I * Kfi ?r ; ward with interest to future work by this V MV P the well-known Christchurch professional »\ tis k 18 " ceptionally well i-eppaented j ear^ His large canvas, a true gnlleij picture (No 277), "Sheen Drover, Ivaikourn, 'is a" very difficult subject, beyond the reach of an amateur. There is nothing pittatious about the picture, which is balanced and efTective composition, specially praiseworthy as a. courageous| attempt to reproduce with artistic fidtlity an "essentially New, Zealand scene. Ml. AVallwork is, however, at his best in_a delightful nocturne (No. 206), Moon lHit, Chatham Lock," ui which the poetic mystery of night is suggested with a skilful restraint. At the same time the picture is quite definite, and holds, well together as a composition Hie same artist contributes, two virile and effective marine studies, of which I piefer "Breakers, Kaikoura (No. -Go), an animated but not. aggressive study■ ot ancrv waves breaking on a rock-bouncl shore. A figure study, "The (No 275), is also deserving of attention, and there is a delicate c.liarm m the little fantasy, "Fairy Lagoon (No. *b7). Mrs. AVallwork is represented, by a pleasiri" little sketch. "The Rangitata, from Mt. Peel" (No. 237). Two AYellington amateurs, whose lanttscape work always displays conscientious 'study of nature, are Messrs. Sedgwick and Kellcek. Mr. Sedgwick's most im ; portant canvas is No. 214, loplars, painted at that favourite resort of the younger school of Wellington painters, the Silverstream. It is an ainkitious and successful effort, a, long wny ahead of this artist's work in'-previous years. Mr. Sedgwiclc has at last mastered vVie problent of harmonising his greens. The firmness with .which he lias kept his painting together—a lnreo picture is niways ; difficult to handle in this respect-is to : be cpmmended. Jrr. Sedgwick is, T tl'ink, at his best in a smaller picture, No. 250, i "A Peaceful Scene, Silverstream." This i is probably the best landscapo work in . the show, and is well worthy of being 1 added to the permanent collcction of tho Academy. 1 It ihows what can be done i with a restrained palette. Though con-. taining absolutely no vivid colour, it car- I rics a sense of colour u;hich mokes some ' of the huge chromatic extravagances on j the walls doubly cheap. i

Mr. Killick also deserves a word of congratulation upon the marked advance shown by much of his work this year. His "Dawn and Low Tide"'(No. 209) has atmosphere, but T prefer his quiet d:gni(ied picture, "A Gray Day on the Hutt River" (No. 270). Here is a'graceful, restful composition, the sort of picture one could live with," a'picture which would not "shout" at you from the "wall in tones of strident colour, as would too many of this year's pictures. Sincority is written all over it. Mr. Killick has been rather scurvily treatod by the Hanging Committee. Why'his "Summer Drought at Silverstream" (No. 295) should have been hung as high as Hainan—or like the head of a rebel—against the superstitions of colour über alles—right above the door is a mystery I ""will not

[ attempt (o solve. Even hung so badly as it is, it well repays attention, throwing out a mute and dignified appeal against its harsh treatment. Tho attomut to catch the eft'ect of du6ty, summer" drought is excellent. Tho picture seems to me to bo an honest and most praiseworthy effort by one who regards Constable Norwich school as the masters of landscape painting. "Dusk' (212) represents a difficult problem in values, spoilt by unsuitable framing. Another Wellington amateur who decidedly scores this year is Mr. E. G. Hoo'd His "Birch Trees' (No. 271) is the largest picture this promising artist has yet attempted. It is a well composed, well-handled piece of work, c, '>" dently a most conscientious, direct study from NatuTe. and is replete with a quiet dignity which makes a successful appeal to"the visitor who likes sound landscape work. A smaller picture, most unfairly skied (No. 262), "Barton's Bush, is also to the Academy's exhibitions of recent years have always taken a lively interest-in the work of Miss Flora Scales, who every year .testifies to the f asc tion which horses have for her. This year Miss Scales is as "strong as ever, indeed, in more than one of ner always interesting studies she strength to the vergo of brtitahty. Miss Scales is as clever as ever in her stiidup of horses in strong sunlight, but sTie je gradually developing a crudity of colour which goes perilously near pictorial vnlgarity. On an exhibition wall, the excessive strength is perhaps attractive, but to plßce one of those pictures in a quiet room-well, that is quite a different matter. The artist is in "The Dav s Work (Wo. in "Summer Calm" (No. 225) the bank of the stream appears to ha\e come down 011 the back of the horse and cart. There is something radically wrong with the A vigorously painted \j on ' B^l!i n ? "30) by Mr. Vivian Smith, A.8.C.A., ras much admired on the opening day. It Is hung too high to allow of its genuine merit being fully recognised. Miss Minna Arndf s (Miss llanoy) study "Still Life" (No. 229), is an production on a genre which, as, Frank and otfiers (have she™. ( b< e P are Splendid possibilities, but which is far too neglected by our New Zealand artists. Miss ArndPs other Mntabutwn, "A Corner of the Farm-yard, Motuena (No. 210), is somewhat disappointing, both in composition and ootoui. (To be Continued.)