Daniel Thomas : Newspaper writings

"TELEGRAPH" Sydney, 1,. 5.W. 60 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, NOVEMBER 25, 1962 The Week in Art by Daniel Thinnas "THE Campion Paintings of Leonard French" is very nearly an outstanding book. Published by Gray- flower of Melbourne, a new firm which plans several more Austra- lian art books, It was undoubtedly worth making. This cannot be said for the same firm's first two efforts, Asian travel draw - logs, and inland Australian color photographs, neither of which filled any serious ga'Plie new book contains 36 large colorplates of re- cent paintings by Leonard F'rencli, one of Australia's most significant younger artists, and one of the few Melbourne painters to be widely respected in Sydney. There is in fact much more than just the twelve paintings of 1981 which dealt with the 18th cen- tury Jesuit martyr Ed- mund Campion, There are studies for some of these, there are six earlier subjects of 1960 with from the Book of Genesis, and there are some paintings more recent than the Campion series. In addition to the plates there is a catalogue of French's work since he began painting in 1948, a brief biography, a fore- word by the art critic Alan McCulloch, and an Intro - Auction by the poet Vin- cent Buckley. The standard equipment for such books of a bibliography has been overlooked, and Mr. Buck- ley's important article on these same paintings in Meanjin (1961, No. 4) not referred to. The catalogue has a few errors, and is incomplete, but it is nonetheless valu- able; and one is grateful that the bad old days of entirely undoc umented picture books are gone. Spelling mistakes are seem- ingly unavoidable (judg- ment is spelt two ways), but It is a bit rude to mis- spell names, either of dead artists (Delatmay), or of living buyers of French's paintings (Miss P. Burke). Misguided High praise has been given the typography and layout, and it 16 true that this la one of the few re- cent books to give serious thought to its design. How- ever, the choice of a 17th century typeface results in a rawer mu -fashioned ap- pearance not unlike the pre-war book society lim- ited edltiont The culprit here may be Alan McCulloch who be- gins his foreword by stat- ing that ta a superficial eye the paintings will look anachronistic and mediae- val. Most people would. on the contrary, find them decidely modern, and the decision not to use a modern type-face must be counted as a misguided one. Praise is due to the jetv,r, -,t' -do 11. *-. ar 410 ; . "SUMMER'S DAY IN THE YOU BEAUT COUNTRY," by John Olsen. attempt to give large After lecturing the pub- he has completed a second Lions, and mall paintins lishers on how better to for another client. The one i realise their ext.emely seen was a superb decora- paintings large re reduce reproductions. In admirable intentions there don in singing yellow and Ls little space left for golden - brown, called "Summer's Day in the You correct sense of scale Beaut Country." minder that we should be Decoration is almost a dirty word in art criticism. This is a justifiable atti- tude when so many paint- ings and sculptures ' are made for a market that buys not for spiritual values, but simply because the undemanding objects match the curtains. Or worse, when they are bought as tiny sculpture in sensitive detail. tended but not denied, for symbols to barnacle a wall. ..7:1e main part of any the message is often as Good decoration is picture book, the color- clear as s, sign -painter's. usually on a large scale plates. is not a great sue- The jewelled luxuryand it Is not undemanding. of It can add an entirely new ems. The color is extreme- surface In the recent spatial dimension to the ly inaccurate, and the en- paintings is more Impor- architecture of a room; it tire tonal balance wrecked taut than the color, and in "The Garden," and the full luxury cannot can evoke a definite mood, though preferably not too "Death and Transfigure- completely be conveyed by Hon" is not much better, the plates even though dominant. These are the two paint- rer; ;oil ink has been used Olsen's ceiling brings a ings with which I am for tin. Fold leaf. fresh, airy quality into the familiar; some of the The boos is cheap at 5 room, a renffiriscence of others may be better re- guineas, and gives a suf- 18th century France and produced. jeanrt idea ofonneeofimobur. nerd, erdjuIcy delights of Frage- Color Usher must be praised for Donald Friend's exhibl- his bravery In producing a tion of watercdlors at the A good colorplate can book for an audience which Macquarie Gallerbete Ss' as never be made from a knows the originals. The delightful as always. The photograph. If owners are travesties of Titian and 18th century would like willing to lend, paintings Rembrandt which come to him, too. There Is of course tathersheelavieaasasmhaouaeldr. base tsheenyt receive no complaints here, his wit - especially in the us in books from Europe his consummate skill, and were for the Kym Bony- for we do not have the Cargo Cult pictures - but thon book, and for the original paintings to corn - Drysdale book two years pare. I had not realised before that the sensuous native ago. Those colorplates were Gra flower has also pub- boys are given ideal poses excellent. The plates for liaised a Religious Art from classical antiquity. Bernard Smith's new his - Calendar (35 1 for 1963 Apollo Sauroctonous and tory of Australian painting photoswere done from with 12 color reproductions. the Uffizi Hermaphrodite' graphs, and proofs we then checked against th original. competition. They range Bird of Paradise Hunter"? Consequently they are which no proofs were sen 1952 to John Coburn and enjoyable exhibition. good deal better than Campion colorplates, o Frank Hinder in 1951 and picture in an immensely from Justin O'Brien and This last is the outstanding to the owners for checking, Eric Smith in me and - Perhaps there were econo 1982. mics, for although the boo Again the only picture I was earlier announced at know well in the original. guineas, it has been re. Dews' "Golgotha" is very leased at only 5 guineas, badly reproduced: It has In any case the boo come out pink when in color Is not so serious fact it is cool blue -black. it would be with say Er The Justin O'Brien Is made Smith, another painter o from a poorly lit photo - religious subjects, but on graph, but the rest, as far who depends largely on h as ; know them, appear I, color. French on the othe reasonably good. I hand is no great coloris Last week the Press was Ibut is an artist whoa invited to see drawing - forms are his chief mean room ceiling painted by of expression. John Olsen. Since then this way amen studies are Leonard French's. art.Per- kept in their place, and a hem the book is a re_ maintained. wary of judging art front McCulloch's foreword books, perhaps color is too has some questionable difficult to produce setts- aeenvaelra laipepse a-ra ncth e ofm etrhite- slheaourndt 'o nlya nbde black and pictures, and 'never has white souvenirs the world stood in greater already seen. need of heroes." What French's marvellously about Hitler, or Elvis Pres- stately forms are in some ley? Did we need them? cases beautifully allied to Buckley's introduction their content. His sign- analyses French's pictures Dateline origins area trans - All the paintings are Aus- are echoed, and is It the trallan and seem to have neo-classical Bourdelle that come from the Blake Prize provides a source for "The dl