SCHOOL OF ART EXHIBITION.

Evening Star, Issue 3062, 11 December 1872, Page 3

SCHOOL OF ART EXHIBITION.

When Mr Hniton’s services were engaged to superintend a Hchool of Art, even the most sanguine advocate of the advantages to be. derived from it, could not have imagined that so many artists of more than ordinary merit could have been trained in Dunedin in so short a time. Mr Hutton has had many disadvantages to contend with. He has been shifted about from place to place without much regard to the fitness or unfitness of the rooms appropriated to his use for cultivation of the tine arts. Who have been the prime movers in these many migrations wc know not; but this we know, that the rooms he at present occupies arc badly lighted, and however desirous his directors may be for the cultivation of arts in the Province, no little culture is needful to tit them to give efficient aid to Mr Hutt'in, by providing suitable studios, instead of throwing impediments in the way, through cramming him and his pupils into some of the dark corners of the earth. But enthusiasm will carry human beings through difficulties that would otherwise be insurmountable. It has enabled several of Mr Hutton’s pupils to become artists in spite of difficulties. There are some very admirable paintings that were executed by gaslight, because no other time was available but the evening. There are architectural and mechanical drawings by artizaus that evince an advanced acquaintance with science, and thus prove that the foundation of a future successful career has been laid ; and there a e copies of landscapes and figures, with drawings from nature, so well worked out that the Dunedin exhibition would be considered worthy of notice in any metropolis in the Old World. We do not propose to give a critical sketch of the various exhibits. This would be unfair, for the students do not stand on equal ground. Some have but lately begun to study, and have hardly mastered early mechanical difficulties ; while others have been maturing powers gained by some years’ practice. Our purpose is therefore merely to point out a few that we consider specially worthy of notice. Mr Scott has this year six pictures in oil, that do him great credit. “ The Life Boat” is the best copy of the model picture we have seen. The water broken into foam ; the boat lifted on the crest of a wave ; the angry threatening sky—are all well painted, and true to nature. So is “Drachenfell,” a scene on the Rhine. The dark towering rock - the transparent river—the evening sky—bring to mind the lines from “Childe Harold”— The castle crag of Drachenfell Looks o'er the wide and winding Rhine.

It is a landscape of much interest. His other pictures are, “ Sheep,” rcmaikable for the soft and glossy appearance of their fleeces; “Dutch Boats,” a nice landscape; and “ The Shipwreck.” All these paintings have been finished with great care and attention to details. Mr Dick’s forte is watercolors. His drawing is excellent, and coloring clear and brilliant. There are two pictures of fruit—peaches and apples ; a picturesque scene on the P.hine, very beautifully executed ; “Crossing the Mountain,” a marvellously correct copy. But the picture that will please best is little “Blue Eyes,” a lovely baby face, highly finished ; a real flcsh-and-blood-looking baby—baby cheeks, baby eyes, baby nose, baby lips, and baby attitude. Miss Douglas exhibits several pictures o? great merit. She too has painted “The Lifeboat,” and many may consider it equal to any copy that has been produced. The remaining pictures are. “ A Winter Scene,” “ A Gipsy Camp,” a beautiful drawing in chalk, “The E/g Plant,” “A Water Mill,” “Shakespeare’s CliIV, Dover,” and “Rosy Cheeks.” Everyone of these is a good picture, that will bear looking at again and again with pleasure. Miss Annie Holmes has too few pictures this year. The only results of her pencil are some most spirited sketches in oil of dogs’ heads, and a lovely little gem representing the interior of a cathedral. Miss Mann has made a copy of “ Dracheufell,” with a slightly varied effect from that by Mr .Scott, By tho introduction of a gleam of light falling naturally on the foreground, a very fine effect is produced. Tho whole of the light tints arc in perfect harmony It is an excellent picture. “ 1 he Queen of Hearts” is also well worthy of notice. She is a gipsy, quite prepared to tell a fortune by cards—and a good-looking gipsy she is. Mrs Davidson has improved in finish during the year. Her last year’s exhibits were good, but her advance during the past twelve months proves that she is capable of taking a high position as an artist. We need only mention some of her beautiful drawings. Their merit needs no praise. They are—“ An English landscape,” “’Prentice Pillar,” “Theßridge of Tours,” “A Hough Customer,” “The Queen of Hearts,” “ Crossing the Mountains,” “The Bass Rock,” and “ Shakespeare’s Cliff',” and “The Interior of a Canthedral.” Miss Wight has erne highly •finished pictures m

water colors. The most noticeable are “Hawthorn Blossom,” and “Apple Blossom.' 1 and two picturesque views at Venice. Mr Sinclair exhibits some very wellexecuted drawings of hands and feet in chalk. There is a perspective drawing of Mess is Briscoe’s store, by Mr Forest, and some very correct mechanic il drawings, by Messrs Cable, »!. Neill, ami M‘Daren. Mr Cable also exhibits a drawing in cha’k of a deer, fr- m a casting MGs Jeffry has an exoclh nt chalk drawing of a bramble, also Leith (port of Edinburgh), and “Dunbarton Castle,” in sepia, both very well executed. Mr Whyte’s “ Ajax Defying the Li.chining.” is a good drawing in chalk from a model. There is al-o another drawing of the same head in a different po-ition by Miss Johnson. Of designs, Mr Smith exhibits two or throe of ivre merit. They are intended as ornaments for panels. A little painting, in oil. of flowers (from nature), by Mr H. Neill, is well worth attention. Mr Hutton has not neglected the important branch of art education—drawing from nature. There arc several sketches, in sepia, of scenes m the neighbourhood, which are interesting as being first attempts to apply the art to original pictures. The chief are sketches of the Ocean Beach, White Island, Black Jack’s Point, and a scene in the Norrii East Valley We should not do justice in this hasty sketch were we to omit mention of some beautiful sketches in oils by Mr Hutton, (hie is the water-race near M ‘Gla-liaa’s mill, and the other the waterfall iu the valley. They are hung too high for effect We suppose Mr Hutton deshed to give more prominence to the, works of hjs pupils than to his own. We commend them, however, to notice, for they are admirable studies.

We understand that there are JO evening students, a day class of twelve girls, besides the pupil teachers connected with the various schools.