The Artists’ Corner

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 193, 4 November 1927, Page 12

The Artists ’ Corner

J SYDNEY THOMPSON, | GIFTED NEW ZEALANDER, j IS NOW KNOWN AS “THE MASTER OF CONCARNEAU” IN THE BRETON VILLAGE WHERE HE LIVES

“COPIED AND .IMITATED” QYDXEY THOMPSOX. the Xew Zealand painter ichose stimulating influence in art circles in this country has not, fortunately yet subsided, is known as the ”Master of Concarneau.” in the little Breton fishing village where he lives. For 17 years he has resided there among these fisher folk he knows so well, painting and working out his own theories until he now has a reputation which extends far beyond the shores of his adopted land. For 13 years he never exhibited at all. AIRS. MURRAY FULLER, of We!l--ington, who lias been staying in Concarneau with Sydney Thompson and his family, saj-s that the painter is constantly “worried and bothered” by dozens of pot-boiling artists who copy his work. Sydney Thompson is represented in the majority ofNew Zealand galleries. There are two good examples in the Auckland Gallery- Painters will not soon forget the quietly-spoken artist, who looked like a Frenchman with his little felt hat, beard and corn-cob pipe, but spoke like an Englishman. LATEST WORK “GREAT” To quote Mrs. Fuller from a letter to hand this mail: “It is great fun having Sydney as companion and guide. He has been among Bretons for 27 years. His latest work is great; there is no doubt about that. He is recognised here as a great, artist. His health unfortunately has not been too good during the last year, and he looks very fragile. Bad weather has also kept him from working to some extent. Mrs. Fuller mentioned that her husband, the well-known Wellington dealer, is bringing 14 new works by Sydney Thompson back with him to New Zealand. “Previously, most artists painted landscapes with small figures, and Thompson was the first to paint large living figures and subordinate the background. His style is now so admired and copied—to say that he is sad about it is little enough. It depresses him to see bad work of subjects he knows so well. Paul Gauguin, the French painter who died in Tahiti, whom I mentioned in an article last month, lived at Concarneau and at. Pont Aven at one time. Mrs. Fuller tells a new story of this extraordinary genius, which was related to her by a painter who knew Gauguin.

“Gauguin painted the portrait of a Breton girl living at Pont Aven, a good-looking blonde, and being kindly disposed offered it to her. The girl, thinking she was very beautiful and not comprehending Gauguin’s outlook, refused the work. Just recently the picture was acquired by the Louvre at a very big price. The lady, now married, knows all about it. Being a Breton and thrifty, doubtless it rather hurts! WITH LAMORNA BIRCH

Mr.and Mrs. Fuller, when the mail left, were staying with Lamorna Birch, the water-colourist, in Cornwall. Speaking of “old Jory,” the host of a neighbouring inn in “a very lovely valley full of associations,” she says; “ ’Jory’ is a joy. He has known many well-known men, and his parlour has a great collection of pictures, gifts from the painters. “Of three Munnings, one is the best Munnings I have ever seen. It was painted outside the inn with ‘old Jory.’ holding his horse. Harold Knight’s Academy picture for 1920 was painted here. It is of Lamorna Birch, Munnings, Bertie Hughes (Eleanor’s husband), and ‘old Jory’ sitting at a table. It was called ‘The Council.’ He also has works by Birch, Stanhope Forbes, Hughes, Laura Knight and others. Lamorna Birch is described as “a charming man, very sound, who just goes his own way without thought of the commercial side of art.” He despises showy or superficial work—work that might give pleasure for a passing period only, clever but without depth. “There is so much of this ‘slick’ work nowadays, and it brings good return in cash,” says Mrs. Fuller, “but what a pity for good men to do it and get away from sincerity.” Other artists Mr. and Mrs. Fuller had met include Sir Hugh Stanton, Algernon Talmadge, Harry Watson, Cecil Hunt and A. Brown. Mrs. Fuller also met Haley 7 Lever, an Australian, in Concarneau. He has been absent from his owu country for about 30 years, blit is represented in most Australian galleries. She describes him as “a true artist now painting to please himself whether things sell or not.”

“Some of his work is very ‘wild’: an expression used very frequently. But it is most interesting—colour, movement and weight, but to a great number who only know conventional work, it certainly is wild.” Though both liked Haley Lever’s w 7 ork immensely they considered it would be very hard to dispose of either iu New Zealand or Australia. Another painter they met in Brittany, Charles Frommuth, bad been in Concarneau for 37 years. After a return visit to France, Mr. and Mrs. Fuller will spend some time in Italy, and return to New Zealand via Sydney. —ERIC RAMSDEN.

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