Auckland Art Gallery

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 890, 6 February 1930, Page 8

Auckland Art Gallery

DEVELOPMENT OF GRAPHIC SECTION

Opportunity to Assist

THE allocation by the City Council of £IOO from tlie picture purchase fund for the acquisition of more prints and etchings for the graphic arts section of the Art Gallery, and the housing of the collection in the old statuary room, has not only placed this collection on a definite footing, hut has given needed stimulus to a very important work. The hope is also held out that the lead given by the civie authorities will encourage public-spirited citizens also to assist in bringing this section up to the standard enjoyed by other centres of similar size and importance.

With tile normal growth o£ any art gallery there comes a time when It is necessary to define a policy so that the collection may be developed along sound lines. In Auckland, thanks to the co-operation of the Macltelvie Trust and City Council, such a policy has been fairly well developed. The Auckland Art Galle'ry at present consists of two collections, one belonging to the City Council and the other to the Mackelvie trustees. As a result of an arrangement entered into some time ago the trustees have concentrated their energies into building up the main section of the gallery, that dealing with British and foreign paintings, leaving the council free to spend the money it has available on enlarging the section dealing with the work of New Zealand artists. But although arrangements for procuring paintings from the various schools are well in hand, other branches of art, particularly etchings and engravings, have been somewhat neglected. Certainly a start has been made. Three or four years ago the City Council purchased about a dozen engravings, and from time to time these have been added to, until at present the collection has grown to about 70 items. VALUE OF PRINTS Throughout the world every gallery of any standing or pretensions to completeness possesses a collection of prints, and to students and connoisseurs they are a source of great delight and value. Engraving in its many forms has been the means of artistic expression of the greatest artists from the fifteenth century to the present day. Such men as Durer, Rembrandt, among the earlier masters, and Cameron and Brangwyn, of

the modern, school, need only to be mentioned to indicate its importance. Interest in the subject in Auckland has been amply demonstrated since the inauguration of the loan exhibitions in the Auckland Art Gallery, the exhibitions of etchings, Japanese prints and the graphic arts being the means of attracting thousands of persons to view them. ANNUAL INCOME NEEDED With a strong collection available there would be an excellent reserve supply for the holding of regular exhibitions. This, it is understood, is already in the minds of those responsible. For the purpose of giving them a greater variety of interest these exhibitions would be grouped under various classes according to the nature of the works, nationalities and various schools. But to ensure first of all a strong and representative collection, an annual income is necessary. To build up a strong collection continuity of effort is needed. Then again the Art Gallery is rapidly becoming inadequate for the purpose. For publicspirited citizens anxious to do something for the City, here is an excellent opportunity. In Southern centres there have been notable gifts to art, not only in the form of pictures which, despite very good intentions, have sometimes been the cause ot some embarrassment, but in cash, which, for the purpose of carrying out a policy of selection, is far more desirable. It is a proposal that should strongly commend itself not only to those actively interested in art, but also to all those who, having the interests of the City properly at heart, wish to see it build wisely and well, in art as in other things.