ART PICTURES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2, 2 January 1914, Page 8

ART PICTURES.

QUESTION GF DECENCY. Tho question whether the nude in art is indecent was discussed in the Adelaide Police Court recently, when Drew Brown was summoned for exhibiting in a window, in contravention of the Indecent Advertisements Act. Mr Shierlaw Said an indecent advertisement was defined to include

any drawing, picture, or written or printed matter of an indecent, immoral, or obscene nature. Sub-Inspector Priest stated that he went into defendant’s shop and purchased live postcard photographs, similar to some in tlte window. Tnese were photographic copies of ‘ ‘La •- gale,” by Chantron (hung in the Tate Gallery, London), ‘‘The Three Graces,” by Nonnenhruch (in the National Gallery, London); “The First Pose,” by Rondel! (exhibited in the Paris Salon in 1912); “La Source,” . by Chevalier (hung in the Louvres), and “The Bath of Venue,” by Godward (in the Tate Gallery). Witness paid 6d each for the copies. By Mr Webb. Do you consider the statue of Hercules in Victoria-square indecentP Witness: Yes, absolutely, to my idea. Should you consider photographs of .that statue to be indecent ?—I should. Have you laid an in Formation, against the corporation for exhibit-, ing the statue?—l have not. Do you think the statue of Venue on North Terrace Is indecent?—Tnere are various stages of indecency. According to my idea, the statue of Venue is one form of indecency. Would you consider the picture of Perseus and Andromeda in the Adelaide Gallery indecent?—Yes. Nearly every illustrated work on art contains pictures similar to those put in. "Would you consider them , indecent?—l have seen pictures in art galleries I have considered indecent. Do you know that the catalogues o the Royal Academy and Paris Salon contain such pictures?—l know tlr catalogues of the Paris Salon contain indecent pictures. Do you know the painting of the i nude figure is considered the highest form of art?—l have heard it said so, hut I don’t believe it. Why do you prosecute this particular man?—You will not find similar pictures in any other shop in ideiaide.

John B. Mather, 'art critic, said he compiled' and wrote the catalogue of the Adelaide Art' Gallery. He die not consider the pictures produced indecent. The study of t»e nude was absolutely essential to the development of art. Mr Shierlaw: All artists v-e-vel in these things. Witness: Yes, but only from an artistic point of view. ■ Don’t yoii think the" general publiwould consider the pictures indecent —lf, tliey did, the genera?- putdir would be largely to blame. . The Magistrate said the Bench con sidered “La Cigale M and “The Firs' rose” indecent. A fine of £lO would be imposed,' and reduced under the Justices’ Procedure Act to £2. A stay of proceedings was granted for 14 days to admit of an appeal.