A Painter's Dilemma.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2910, 29 May 1888, Page 3

A Painter's Dilemma.

There is a very well-worn story of a painter wlio showed a peasant a picture dealing with farm life. The peasant ventured on apiece of realistic criticism and the painter adopted it. Some of the feet of the pigs were introduced into the feeding trough. : Fuseli once said he never painted from nature, for that nature put him out. Gainsborough, however, followed her teaching, aud was certainly a better painter than Fuseli. Just now Mr Holl, R.A., has a difficulty to solve. He lias painted for the Trinity House portrait of the Princo of Wales as an honorary Master of that Corporation. ■ Tho Prince's uniform is blue, and lie stands in front of a tablo on which the Union Jack is displayed as a kind of tablecloth. The painter appreciating the value of the blue patches in the upper corner of the red ensign, lias kept thein at tho near end of the table. The red or lower part of the flag is beyond and above. The picture was sent to the Trinity House that the Elder Brethren might inspect and admire it. But sailors see things one way and artists another, The prompt criticism of these nautical experts was that the reversed ensign was a signal

of distress, aud that every sailor who Cji entered the Trinity House and looked W at the picture would go away with the idea that the Prince of Wales was in difficulties. To tliem the correction seemed perfectly simple. It was only to reverse the inverted flag, and the Prince became again taut and shipshape. It was no great matter which end of the picture had blue in it and ■jggliicli end red, It will thus be seen 'l®bw art education has thriven in the land, In their moments of wildest enthusiasm the P.R.B. could scarcely have expected to find symbolism in sailors.

A Reply to the Attorney General, Te Aro House Exhibition. Did anyone desire to convince our possimistic Attorney General that New Zealand B» is not hastening headlong to the limbo of IS insolvency, a very practical argument might BP be adduced. That legal and political proHP phet ot evil might be asked to walk down 88l Cuba-street, Wellington, to the palatial Te BmnJlro Houso ot Mr James Smith, the Whiteley WpPtif the Southern Hemisphere, Standing BT~ without, facing those superb windows—laden B and resplendent with the triumphs of the H silk, the lace, the ribbon, linen, and carpet B weavers arts—the venerable pessimist might 39 justly be asked:" Could an insolvent counP try run a show like that ?" If the outskk of Te Aro House failed to convince him of the «y of his oroakings, the imide would most uredly do so, for within those walls is presented an exhibition startling in its richness and sumptuousness and so finished and perfect in every detoil that it appears to he rather a creation of Wonderland than of the business energy and astuteness of this rather prosaic nineteenth century, A day 01 two since I received a polite invitation from Mr James Smith to attend at Te Aro House a daytime but gaslight exhibition of satins, silks, ball-dresses, Ac., A'O. I accepted with diffidence. My know; ledge of the details of those various garments used by ladies to keep them pretty or leave them neat was excessively theoretical. Like many another ignorant male, I conceived that one woman's gown was very much like another woman's gown—only more so. I now confess that my education was incom-plete-I had then never seen the interior of Te Aro House, However, taking my masculine courage in both hands, a feminine guide, philosopher, and friend, on my arm, and m carefully leaving my purse at home—l went. T* Entering the principal department of llr Smith's extensive emporium the visitor, as if by enchantment forgets in an instant the bleak, damp, and unlovely streets and sloppy pavements without. Assisted, but not painfully dazzled by the bright yet skilfully toned light, one takes in by a coup4'o:il, a scene which for brilliancy, exquisite taste, superb Mgjtsposition of oolor, and agreeableuess of fPneral effect, lias possibly been never equalled, certainly never excelled in the Australasian Colonies, Festooned in soft fslds from the lofty ceiling are lace drapes of various exquisite hues; on either side adown the superb room aro figures attired in ball dresses, which dresses, whether simple or chaste, or magnificent or costly, arc one and all marvels of creative taste, tint, and texture, and are ill arranged with such cunning combination of hue, as would delight the eye or a painter, On the left are numerous tables, also dressed with billowy lace, whereon arc strewn with a seeming careless, but really artful profusion, sprays, bunches, and clusters of the most exquisite French flowers; such admirable counterfeits that many of the visitors seemed to deem them real, and to fancy they could inhale the summer odors of jasmine, lily, and rose. Daintily among the tlowers were studded little lamps, whose mellow and many-tinted lights enhanced the charm of the display. Other tables were made beautiful by pieces of rich dress silks and broeJus. No ball-room with an everraoving multitude, could possibly show so perfect and delicious a blending of color ; . as the designer of this exhibition has ' achieved. To attempt any detailed descrip\JF' tion of the multitudinous costumes on view ; task altogether beyond my pen, One ' silk, the front of which was embroidered with pearls, specially attracted my errant eye; a cream silk, with trimmings of cardinal plush and ottoman silk, was indeed 'a thing of beauty, and a joy for everwhile ray cicerone halted before a petunia satin costume, and coo'd like a dove. Then I noticed some dreams—love dreams—in satin, marvellously embroidered—one, in particular, black, with cardinal embroidery—which my companion explained were Tea Gowus, but which to my crass inexperience seemed lit to wear for Eoyalty_ on State occasions. I cannot pretend to give (even the faintest idea of all the gorgeous plushes, the magnificent satins, and the lustrous silks, which are exposed in every direction. I longed to buy them all, and my fair companion vowed that not only was everything excellent in quality, but really and truly cheap. Then I remembered that I had left my purse at home, In another department, we discovered hats, bonnets, and caps, which are—or, perhaps, were,_ for they were [selling rapidly—symphonies in lace, ribbon, and flowers. But the intending visitor must not suppose that amid all this beauty, the practical and useful are lost sight of. Far from it. A departitent i.i devoted to a variety of mysterious 9d unknown garments in long cloth and linen, with delicious edgings, trimmings, and laces, and in sufficient quantity to fill all the clothes' lines beneath the Southern Cross. II Excellent in quality, beautifully made, and far cheaper than one could make them at

■ home," was the softly uttered verdict of my accompanyist. In another section we found cbildrens' clothing in interminable variety, including charming plush suits for little (joys, 'flieto too fuv-lingtl gloafo and

ladies' mantles, both cheap and costly, i piles of the finest and softest blankots, stacks 1 of cavpets, a ton or two of gloves in cvovy possible material, heaps of hose for either sex, mens' clothin», and indeed everything, conceivable in the way of garments, and in!' each department the clioico is practically 1 unlimited. In short, Te Aro House is a ; vast magazino for the storage and sale j alike of articles of beauty, of utility, and necessity, and the throngs which daily visit it, and tho amount of money daily thcro expended, give the lie direct to that stupid and vicious old cry tlmt everything is depressed past redemption, and that no business is doing, Viewing such ai exhibition as a whole, one is apt to lose sight of the wondrous enterprise, energy, acumen, and splendid taste which devised and carried it out, Mr James Smith is to be congratulated upon having secured in Mr Moody, a manager whose soul is in his art—for such spectacles display a high appreciation of art—and to whose fertility of resoursc and inventive powers much of the success of To Aro Houso is duo. In conclusion, I would strongly advise Wairarapa friends to take a look at the wonders of Te Aro Houso for themselves, They will not be pestered to buy, and will yet meet with every civility, indeed, I may mention that not one of the least wonders of the place is the courtesy, inexhaustible good humor, and unwearied attention of the gentleman, whose business it is to welcome the coming, and speed the parting guest

As,instancing the utility of tho Pioueor Corps which lias been formed in connection with tho Ist Canterbury Battalion, it may be mentioned that during tho field day oil Queeli's Birthday the horse of the Major in command of tho Ist Canterbury cast his shoe, To proceed without the shoe over the country comprised in the operation would have been impossible, Fortunately tho Pioneer Farrier attached to the Christchurch Rifles was to the fore and lie speedily doffed his tunic, assumed the apron of tho artificer and shoed tho horse, so that the gallant Major was enabled to take his part in the repulse of tho enemy.—Telegraph. A Typographical Association has been formed in Christchurch, and sixty members have already joined.