Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

only seven prisoners, but the day has ever since been seen as a significant step in the long march against injustice. It is also, incidentally, the day on which French diplomats bring forth their best champagne. To have his opening upon this special day is hardly surprising, and it will serve to remind us of la douce France, that soft and gentle French countryside to which he has returned year after year to find peace for his mind, pleasure for his senses and inspiration for his painting. He is now fortunate in being able to recollect in tranquillity the feelings he has experienced in and around the villages of Montfavet and Eygalieres in Provence. From his sojourn in these two villages, these paintings have emerged. The warm and evocative landscapes carry with them memories of Monet and Sisley, two great French impressionists, and the seascapes those of John Peter Russell, an Australian who became an impressionist also. As a former Director of the Gallery, Raoul will, I feel sure, be pleased to know that our most recent important acquisition is a small landscape by the French painter Puvis de Chavannes, entitled Doux pays-the sweet countryside. When I was searching for words with which to describe Raoul as a painter, I came across a passage in a book entitled 'An essay on the theory of painting', written by one Jonathan Richardson in 171 S. His essay produced the words I wanted and I did not need to search any further: The way to be an excellent painter is to be an excellent man. The painter's own mind should have grace and greatness and should be beautifully and nobly formed. The painter ought to have a sweet and happy turn of mind that great and lovely ideas may have a reception there. I think that just about sums up Raoul, an excellent painter and an excellent man, and so, ladies and gentlemen, without more ado, I now have great pleasure in declaring this exhibition open. 3 Speech to open 'Revelation of the Malagans: The Ritual Art of New Ireland', Gold Coast City Art Gallery, I I January 1991 Let me say at once that it is a great pleasure to be here this evening to open this exhibition, 'Revelation of the Malagans: The Ritual Art of New Ireland'. It is some three years since I last opened an exhibition in this splendid gallery, and that was a Japanese exhibition called 'The Art of Ai'. On that occasion there was a slight semantic misunderstanding between the Director and me. I thought she was inviting me to open an exhibition on the art of love-because that is one meaning of the word Ai in Japanese. I accepted with perhaps unseemly haste, only to discover that she was talking about an exhibition of cloth garments dyed with a certain blue pigment. However, I disguised my disappointment and opened the exhibition just the same. Luckily, there has been no semantic misunderstanding on this occasion. In any event, opening an exhibition is always a welcome change for me. My duty as Chairman 143