AUCKLAND ART SOCIETY CONVERSAZIONE. Auckland, Dec. 8.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 324, 12 December 1888, Page 4

AUCKLAND ART SOCIETY CONVERSAZIONE. Auckland, Dec. 8.

Tjijsre was a large and fashionable attendance ab the Auckland Society of Arts. 1 conversazione held at the Art Gallery last evening. Black and white sketches and rough sketches, in oil and water colour?, etc., wore exhibited by members of th° Society, and these were arranged along tteh c sides ot the hall and below the Ait ({allery collection. The exhibits included many very lino sketches, and tho-e worthy of special mention ate here enumerated :-- Air E. \V. Pay ton has some fine etchings exhibited, including some English views, and his series oJt New Zealand views, attention to which has prcwously been drawn by the pros*. Mr K. Watkinrf exhibits an original etching of a West Coast scene. There aie al>o some creditable pen and ink sketches by Mr W. Ball, and Mr C. JL. Kerry shows a very clever .sketch of Kimbet ley. A sketch oi Sydney Hat bom, by the same ai tisb, is albo very good. Mr Frank Wright exhibits thirteen oi more .sketches in water colour and pencil, j one of the best being "Waiwera," while a sketch oi Cox's Cieek I'jum nature and diawiugs of tiees are very good indeed. The same artist exhibits a spnucd sketch of the old ferry .strainer Devonport. Mr Blomhold has on view a huge niMnbcr of sketches in oil, both Lindbuupe and portraits. " Castle Rock, Coromandel, 'is especially &ood, ab showing the cflectoi the rising sun on a tock. One u two little creek scenes by Mr Blomh'eld ha\c a\ery pleasins effect. Mrs-Spcott, of Christchurch, exhibit^ a few sketches, including subjects done tci the Mahlstic Club and other scenes sketched Some studies, in sepia by C. M. Home ai&o attract attention, including a \cry effective piece of broken water m a West Coast scene. Miss Buchanan exhibits two upright panels in which there is a nice softness and feeling displayed. Some oil and water sketches by W. Home also attract notice. There are some nice oil and water colour sketches by S. E. Slader, the best of which are, " Shelly Beach, Pon&onby,'* and a view of the " Narrow Neck " looking from North Shore. Mr B. Pheney exhibits, water coloiu and pencil .sketches of an attractive design. Mr Mai bin Trenwith has sketches in water colour and charcoal stud\, "Rock-, from Mount Eden "' and " The old gate and stone wall at Mount Eden " being especially good. There are also .some good sketches in oil by Mr H. Leech, one oi the best ofwhich represents a bank of reeds by the margin of a creek. Miss Cohen has a nice frame of sketches entitled "Sketches from the Window." Airs Dr. Parkinson has a card ot sketches in water colour; also a card of liguie and flower sketches \ery well done. Miss M. Wright exhibits a \cry ci editable sketch of ♦' Little Red Riding Hood."' AJr T. L. Drummond's collection is numerous, and includes some Aeiy line sketches. He exhibits four chat coal sketches, "After Jlain " being a \eiy ellectivc piece of work, showing mist on a mountain and mountain ton cut: also sketches from nature, notably " Karaka Creek on the Waitemata," and a clift scene showing a gigantic pohutukawa tice. A wreck scene, or " Bolted Fragment of Somo Wieck, Sfcorm Breeched and Shattered," is also a highly ct editable production. There are some very clc\cr sketches in oil by Mr R. Atkinson, one of the best representing a nude figure vaulting. Air A. Aldis has on view quite a number of sketches in oils of a vmy \ ailed character, showing some good work. Mr Bollard exhibits a catd of sketches, and a couple of moonlight scenes. Aery effectively rendered. Mr H. B. Morton shows a series of superior photos, and Miss Maud Vaile a frame of pietty sketches for Christmas cards. There is also a book of good water colour drawings and sketches by Air Sladei. Mr Tho*>. Ball's collection includes tome very effective sketches from nature and in water colour, "A Small Waterlali on the Karaka Creek'" and "Entrance to the Kavaka Creek " being two of the best. Air A. Hunt exhibits a sheet of cle\er sketches of notable charactcio,one ofwhich, entitled " Mao " was immediately recognised as a well-known PotT-onby resident. AJr Walter \Y light has tluee sketches in oil showing cutters lying at anchor on a misty day, one of the Devonport ferry steamers going across the harbour, and another showing the old terry steamer Uevonport on the beach near Birkenhead. All these sketches woie painted from natnro and possess much aitistic meiit. ! Mrs McCosh Clark has tour sketches in oils depicting scenes at St. Heliers Bay, Lake Taupo, and the Huke Falls, very effective outdoor sketches Mr J, llor&ley exhibits three sketches in nils, vi/.., "The "End of the pay,"' '-Moon light," and "Morning Ali&t," all very tastefully executed. The last-named of the three is a very effective picture. The scow in the foreground is a little hard, however, and would have been better it softened down somewhat. AJr Harvey shows, charcoal sketches in subjects taken from Ranolf and Amohia, \ery creditably done. The largo crowd of visitors which assembled had its disadvantages. In the tirst place, the spectators prevented each other from fairly viewing the exhibits, and in the next place the disturbance made by the promenade and small talk seriously discounted the excellent selections of music contributed by members of the Orchestral Society. The band struggled manfully to get through their performance, and succeeded, but with very little satisfaction to themselves. The overture "Rosamunde" (Schubert) suffered by a general influx of visitors and the unavoidable disturbance j connected therewith, and Mr Josiali Martin ! took the precaution to preface the succeeding number with a polite request that the audience woald leinain perfectly still during the performance. A grand trio for pianoforte, violin and 'cello (Mendelssohn) was played by Alessrs Trimnoll, Hemus, and Edger. The buzz: of voices and shuffle of feet again marred the beauty of the music, and the performers came to the conclu&ion that it was useless to continue their selections in the Art Gallery. They therefore adjourned to an adjoining room and concluded their performance, the items rendered including andantino and variations from pianoforte quintette, " The Rout," Op. 14 (Schubert), Messrs Trimnell, Hemus, Clough, Edger, j and Mackenzie ; grand duo concertahte. flute and clarionet, with pianoforte accompanimonts, Op. 43 (Clinton), Messrs Trimnell, Jackson, and . Innes ; allegro alia Marcia, from Serenade, for string orchestra and flute, Op. 80 (J adassohn). Mr T. Tallis Trimnell oonducted, and the selections individually and collectively were capitally rendered. , The only misfortune was that they Avcro unsuited tor a promenade concert. > _ , ,