ART EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 130, 1 March 1928, Page 12

ART EXHIBITION

MISSES HELEN STEWART AND D. K. RICHMOND (By the Lay Figure.) A very interesting exhibition of paint, ings and drawings was held at Miss Helen Slew art’s arid Miss D. K. Richmond's studias at 83 Hill Street yesterday afternoon, the rooms being quite crowded with local art lovers, specially interested in the work of Miss Helen Stewart, who recently returned from Loudon and the Continent, The outstanding, special quality of Miss Stewart’s work, is the boldness and singularly successful handling of her colour schemes. She is equally courageous with strong sunlight effects, and the subtle gradations of colour to be got from rightly placed shadows. There is, tor instance, an oil, “Promenade at Caudebes,” which seems peculiarly typical of this dual quality. The little Square at “Mont St. Michell” outside a restaurant famous amongst tourists for the proprietaire’s succulent omelettes, has a fine perspective, and the placing of the figures is cleverly done. The vivacity of the port scene at Concarueau, with the tunny fisherfolk discharging their marine loot, is very striking, nad there is here little of that “brutality” of treatment with which Mr. Sydney Thompson invested some of his harbour side subjects. Well grouped figures, of a striking vitality, are a feature in Miss Stewart’s “Place du Marche” at Caudebec, one of the most successful of her several “cabinet” sized oils. "Picturesque Dinan" furnishes several charming studies of old houses, and among the water colours there is a specially charming scene in which the famous Dinan. aqueduct is pleasantly prominent. There is here a notably successful management of a difficult problem in perspective. An effective scene at Salzburg testifies to Miss Stewart’s visit to the ancient Tyrolese city, and not far away, hung lo'w, is an excellent study of reflections ou the canal at Dinan. Among the English scenes T am particularly struck by three excellent water-colours of that famous subject, “Richmond Castle,” looking up to the ancient fortress from the river, with the bridge in the forefront. A corner of “York Minster” recalls pleasant memories of ths picturesque old Yorkshire capital. In figure work, Miss Stewart is. generally, more successful with single-figure studies, as in her boldly-painted “Old Model," a reminiscence of an eld artist well known on the Boulevard Montparnasse and along the “Bonle-Micbe.” than in her studies of popular gatherings, I except, however, her “Breton Pardon,” an oil in which the figures are as well placed as the colour of the green sward and that of the blue-dressed old Breton women is agreeably challenging of attention.

In “A Russian Princess”—with her well-painted baroque ornaments and quaint headdress; and again in the broadly-painted old woman ' knitting, “The Gossip,” the artist gives us sound drawing, and her one local portrait, of Miss Barbara Cox, was greatly and deservedly admired. Miss Slewart’s work reflects’ the influence both of Moriet and the latter-dav French impressionists. but although carried much less further than tho work of most of our local artists, it is pleasantly lacking in merelv “bizarre” treatment. If occasionally Inere may seem some slight weakness in draughtsmanship, the and richness of the colour are fully compensating features. In another room in the same studio are some admirable results of a recent sketching expedition by Miss D. K. Richmond. Our veteran lady artist has often shown us Mount Ruapehu under various atmospheric effects, but rarely, if ever, has her delicately chavniing talent been displayed to greater advantage than in this collection. There are several drawings of Ruapehu, at sun. rise, and sunset, and from varying points of view. ]n one of these “Sunrise on Ruapehu,” there is a quite eerie ntmosphereic effect of mystery, and a drawing of the mountain at sunset, redolent of that austere beauty and compelling cold feeling of dying light, must win the admiration of all who recognise truly artistic feeling. In a little drawing of the “Ifalf-way House on the Waioru Road” there is some fine still life painting, and th" small drawing. “Brown’s Camp,” is essentially a crisply and directly painted study. In the same room are hung a number of examples of Mr. Esmottd Atkinson s topographical work, mainly of scenes nt or near the A rapuni Rapids. His treatment of ihe rushing waters in the Gorge is hold to the very of audacity, but always, interesting. Mr. John Moore, whose work is so reflective of Miss Richmond’s influence, is also represented by a number of drawings. A Wellington Harbour scene—as viewed at early morning—is severely, perhaps, a little coldly, beautiful.

DAMAGES AWARDED HUTT ROAD ACCIDENT. Yesterday, Mr. Justice MacGregor gave judgment for Gertrude May Bradley in Iter claim for damages against the Bell Bus Company. Mrs. Bradlev was a passenger in a bus of the defendant company’s, which met with an accident on the Hutt Road, while on a journey from Khandallah to Wellington, in October last. She was unable to give evidence herself, said His Honour, but two passengers in lhe bus had given a circumstantial account of the accident, and if their evidence was to be relied upon, he must enter judgment for the plaintiff. The delence had suggested that he should disregard or disbelieve this evidence, but both gave the same description of the driver stooping to pick up some tickets on the floor of the bus. The driver was unable to give atxv full account of how the accident occurred, nnd His Honour could not accept the explanation of some doctors who had not been present at the accident, that the driver had suffered a syncopal attack. The evidence showed that the driver was scarcely fit enough to drive, and was not a holder of a license under the Act. Damages amounting to £326. and costs according to ■•enles, were allowed. Mr. P. J. O'Regan appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. P. B. Cooke for the defendant.