Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 1 : Presscuttings, 1959-1962

From "COURIER MAIL" Brisbane, Old. outlier -1; ail In good taste DOUBLING of the State Govern- ment's grant to the Azt__Cortlery is, in many respects, best Queensland news of the week. It denotes recognition by State Ministers that the National Gallery is playing an increasingly important part in teach- ing Queenslanders the arts of better living. For years gallery trustees, lacking funds to do more than barely keep the gallery open, fought a hopeless fight to sustain public interest in art, let alone quicken it. Lately, under new direction, it has been possible to improve the gallery to the point where it can, within its limits, compare more favour- ably with other galleries In Australia. The trustees and directors have been able to stimulate a phenomenal State-wide interest in art. The influence of our national gallery and of collections of paintings it has been possible to send around the State has been lessened by sad gape in our collection. These can be filled only by spending large sums of money. Fortunately, the Cabinet knows this. Example APART from stimulat- ing public interest in art in painting, an Art Gallery can raise general ;standards of living by better appreciation of all objects of art. By displays of pottery and china and glass it can show that can a so be beauti The Queensland Gal- lery has lately given ex- amples of good taste in rnament and decoration. here will, no doubt, be pportunity for using the larger grant to widen his sphere of influence. Is it too revolutionary to suggest that an Art allery should have a section for household and industrial design? Why not show how a chair or a bed can be beautiful as well as comfortable? The more a Gallery can translate fundamental lessons of beauty to acious living the etter. Is'von I From "COURIER MAIL" Brisbane, Old. Grant will star 3 -year art plan QUEENSLAND'S Na etujjart Gallery will get a blood tronsfusson through the in- crease in the State Government's annual grant , from £3750 to £7000. The gallery director (Mr. Robert Haines)' hopes to build up Queens - land's gallery collections to 'a standard nearer that of ,iititiseris art galleries. Mr. Haines is an authority on Australian art. 'rho grant increase, an- nounced on Thursday by the Education Minister (Mr. Decries,, will enable Mr. Helm's and the gallery trus- tees to embark on a three- year plan to fill gaps in the collection of early Aus- tralian work::. Mr. Haines said yesterday that the plan provided for the purchase of 15 paintings ach year at an average cost of £150. ."The new grant will im- prove the gallery out of sight." Mr. Haines said. Get early works Mr. Haines said that ng costs and wage increases ad previously made it dif- !cult for the gallery to take ends meet, "It is important that every State gallery should have a complete representa- tion of Australian painters. and we are anxious to build up our collection. "The gallery has no paintings, for example. by Charles Condor or David Davies. There are no works of the really early painters, like Conrad Martens or Sou- velot," he continued. Chandler gift In time, the overseas col- lection would need to be en- larged, Mr. Haines said. The Chandler Gift of 'C5494 will he a big benefit to the gallery. Income from money, sub- scribed by the'pubis as a testimonial to the Lord Mayor (Sir John Chandler) and Lady Chandler. will be used, at their wish. to buy paintings and art objects f the gallery. From Old silver for Art Gallery Silye, 190 , P., s old is among 48 atitione obterts given to the National Art Gallery same Christmas. The Director :Mr Robert Hanes. said Ica,s,e that gifts also included 1-101, darn, gi''', and embroider y. The silver was n the George III, period, he mid It was valuable arid woad he n Teat help it the col- lection, Mr. Haines added that m - cent gdts would he on dis ploy immediately of ter Easter A collection at designs made in Ot111C1 by the child- i rep ottembny the Saturday s morning clasyks would also be I displayed. The c..1-uhdiun of English water colours. Inciadiaq sons; from the collec bon of the late King George VI will continue until Ana, )8 The gollrer will be one of the lea pares :vein during Easter it was ripen all day today Hours tor the mat of ithe holiday, am Sunday 2 5 0 m 11/1111111111 ? 5 n m. .............. ... From "COURIER MAIL" '1 WAR 11,1? Brisbane, Old. Queen Victoria was a hippopotamus admirer A Landseer from the late King's collection. TWO sketches of the "first hippo- ., potomus brought to Europe since the time of the Romans" are now in the Queens- land Notional Art Gal- lery, Watercolours by Sir Edwin Landseer (1802- 1873), they were origin- ally the property of Queen Victoria. They are two of the six watercolours lent by the late King George VI from his Windsor col- lection. In 1850 the British Con- sul -General in Alexandria (Mr. Murray) brought a young hippopotamus from Egypt to England. On June 18 Queen Victoria wrote: "It is said to be the first that has come to Europe since the time el the Romans. It is a very sagacious and so attached to its various keepers that it screams if they leave it. suet the matt is obliged to sleep next to It." On July le she furthet wrote: "This truly extra- ordinary animal 15 only ten months old, and its teeth are only just coming through. It was in the water rolling about like a porpoise, occasionally dis- appearing entirely. "The little Egyptian ser- pent charmer enticed it out by grunting to it, and hold- ing out a piece of bread." 104 Sketches THE Art Gallery Director (Mr. Robert Hairiest said that In 1850 Africa was still the unexplored "Dark Continent." Few Europeans would have seen or heard of a hippopota- mus. The sketches arc part of an exhibition of 104 repre- sentative British water- colours of the period 1850- 1914. They have been lent to the Empire Art Loan Exhibition Society, and NM be shown first in Brisbane from April 2 to April 29, before moving to the southern capitals. Copies of Queen Vic - torte's letters will be ex- hibited. After Associate Professor Robinson opens the exhibition at 8 p.m. on April 2, Mr. Haines will give a lecture on the ex- hibits. "TELEGRAPH" Brisbane, Old. "TELEGRAPH," Qld SEVERAL hunched vilest:, are expected to attend' the National Art Gallery this evening when Professor W Robinson will ofTletally open the Exhibition of British Watercolours 110.0-1 910 a - ranged by the Ennio.. Art Loan Exhibition The Direc tor, Mr. Robert Ilatnec, will Is° be present From "COURIER MAIL" Brisbane, Old. PICTURES ON PANEL Art from Britain THREE water-colours chosen for the Courier- Moil art panel are from on exhibition showing for the first time in Australia. 'The Queensland National Art Gallery director (Mr. Robert Haines, selected them from an exhibition of more than 100 British water- colours at the gallery. The three paintings are: -- "King Cophettia and the Beggar Maid." by Arthur Melville. R.S.A. 11838- 1904 "Shylock, Subsist() and Salarine," by Sir John P.R.W.S. tsars - 18981. -Eantellon Castle," by H. Sutton Palmer 110:4- 1933 From From "COURIER MAIL" "TELEGRAPH" Brisbane, Old. Famous Beititsh artist A COMPREHENSIVE and " distinguished exhibition coveting 04 years of British water-colotim opens to -night at the Queensland National Art Gallery. The second of a series ar- ranged by the Empire Art Loan Exhibitions Society, the .showing includes six Land- seers lent by his late Majesty King Ceorge VI. Bridging the traditional and the modern schools, with slight overlapping, the ex- hibition comprises 104 paint- ings by 62 internationally re- nowned British artists, offer- ing n survey of both the Vic- torian and Edwardian erns. The exhibition is high- lighted by two gems of nor-' tralture: E. A. Walton's ex- Melte characterisation, "The timekeeper's Daughter." and Sir George Clausen's "Study of a Girl." - ERNEST BRIGGS. Brisbane. Old.. British art exhibition the Queensboal Natrona Art Gallery' has an eshibitiot of statertiolutirs of great in- Itirest and Isiah orinentionri' alas. There arc fine examples o true tirtistie t.xpression. one others, obt lonely pandering t the popular fashion of the moment. It is tar ,Cannd al a series of three exhibitions and Is voinposed of well -selected examples. representing Bra- ndi watercolour painting dur- ihe period 1850-1914, the Victorian a nd Wil rd Inn The Empire Art Loan Exhi- bitions Society. with tar Aus- tralian and New Zealand art galleries, has provided this, splendid opportunity of fur- 111Crillil knowledge of the story of an art ill which Brit- ish artists nave excelled. 'Flits story is ideally Itintl- I rated by the examples of work done its a period in whiel, appears one of the dullest pag goodat r Ins is not vet's' CViCiVIn, Drspltr IMO page. linens is held throtedlont. anti a tine should miss seeing dn. exhibition nor fail to look for- ward to the third 01 its kind --NI EI.VILI .E HA YSONI .