M. CHEVALIER IN LONDON.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2661, 28 August 1871, Page 3

M. CHEVALIER IN LONDON.

Wc take the following from the London letter of a Victorian contemporary : M. Nicholas Chevalier has struck out a new and most effective manner of instructing the people of England in a knowledge of the Australian Colonies. Many colonists will remember M. Chevalier making a tour through the islands of New Zealand some years ago. He, artist-like, took advantage of bis travels to make a large number of sketches of the scenery of the country he passed through. This was done chiefly with a view to the publication of a work upon New Zealand, illustrated by drawings made from the sketches in question. Being busdy engaged on various commissions—notably upon one for nearly 150 pictures for the Duke of Edinburgh—M. Chevalier has had to a'low the New Zealand idea to rest for a while. He v r as not content, however, to a’low his labors to lie idle, and in order to show the people at Home how pleasant a place New Zealand is, he has prepared his sketches for exhibition at the Crystal Palace. So well appreciated were the excellencies of M, Chevalier’s works of ait by the authorities of the palace, that they devoted a special chamber to the exhibition of them, and, as might have been expected, they have attracted a large amount of attention and commendation. The London ire s has been unanimous in its praise of them ns works of art, while the general public has expressed its surprise anti pleasure at the marvellous forms of beauty pourtrayo Iby the artist. It will be enough for us to say that the pictures are perfect specimens of that fidelity of drawing, purity of coloring, and faithfulness of ehanctcristic for which M. Chevalier is so peculiaily distinguished. There arc in the collection a few specimens of the Maori, and they always attract attention. One of those, “ Paddling Her Own Canoe,” is a great favorite with the lady visitors, nvny of whom express a desire to relinquish all the “ w'oman s rights” of Europe for the freedom of the New Zealand g’rl who is being carried down the stream so pleasantly.