Wieneke Archive Book 2 : Queensland National Art Gallery (Director: James Wieneke) 1950-51 Presscuttings

11 AUSTRALIA may well be proud of her art and her artists. This is more than proved Pr+ the Commonwealth Jubilee Exhibition of Aus- tralian Art, which opens at the Queensland National ekrt Gallery on Monday. The whole orbit of our artistic achievement its com- prised In 156 representative and selected exhibits, ranging from the art of the auorigine to the more controversial, out nu Jess successiul, of our contem- porary paintei Nothing like it has ever been ..- soon or attempted before. ;Drown from National and wets galleries and collections : from all over the Common- wealth, we have in this exhibi- tion the cream of our art, A figure ut Mew has been put. by some as the value of this exhibition. But who can say what some of these paintings are worth, especially those dating from our ourliest colonial days'[ Judged purely as works of art, the worth of some may be till - ling, but, as national historical 'treasures their value cannot oe estimated. Shows gradual growth of art THE collectic sponsored by the Common- wealth Government, as part of the Commonwealth Juoilee Celebrations, has been designed primarily to indicate the gradual growth of art in Australia. From its concise coverage. It b. evident that the selectors had a painstaking task. It would appear that where their choice was divided be- tween works of historical signi- ficance or artistic merit, they allowed themselves, wisely, to be guided by the latter. Of course, sonic people will disagree with their choice, and argue that some painters could have been omitted, others in- cluded. Those who like Namnt,lira, will search for him in vain. Nor will they find among other contemporaries, Francis Lymburner, Douglas Annand, Douglas Strachan, or Elaine Haxton. But they will find, in most cases, the best work of our best painters. this art sho 111111110.110111011111101111111.1111111111111111111111111111111111111011111111111 By Warwick Lawrence A MALAY PRAU: aboriginal artist, on Bark painting, by an unknown Groote Eylandt, In the Gulf of Carpentaria. the centre alcove. Contemporary art is contained at the back of the gallery. while the early colonial paintings have a room to themselves, delicately shaded in a dusky mauve. Bark paintings by aborigines TAKING each group in sequence, here are some works you should make a special point of seeing: The aboriginal section is par- ticularly fine, and serves to illus- trate most forcibly the artistic and decorative gifts of our native peoples. Here we find hart paintings, tree carvings. and rock paint- ings, delicately executed in white or sepia, to form fascina- ting patterns and designs against backgrounds of muted pink. ochre, and beige. WiZely hung L and grouped TAKEN all-round, it is a most adequate and satisfying exhibition, wisely giouped and wisely hung within the available limits of our Gul- lery space. . Most .striking, perhaps, is the Balanced grouping of five oil .1 updrafts on three alcove walls 101 mushroom pink hessian, ini- '0! btediately you enter the gallery. This quintet grouping is dont- ' Putted by Hugh Ramsay's por- trait, "The Sisters,' flanked by Ibtax Meldrum's oil of his . another, and Sir John Long- - sfaff's haunting and exquisitely tender portrait of his wife. Apart from this particular - grouping, the exhibition has been sensibly subdivided into four distinct and separate sec- t Jons: Aboriginal Art Colonial Art Art of the Middle Period Contemporary Art Ltuidscapes and portraits from the middle-period with a few contemporaries Hank the skie walls of the gallery. Aboriginal art is contained in One of the most striking of these bark paintings is that of a Malay Pro, with its tripod masts, curiously shaped hull, and double steering paddles, a subject memorised from the visit of Malays to Groote Eylandt by an unknown artist. Also in this section make a point of examining carefully% for fuller appreciation, "The Story of a Day's "Spearing a Kangaroo,", "Hunting and Fish- ing .Scene,' and impressions of icrtixtite7,111'tfg other and It figures signifi- cance. Pictures from colonial days THE Early Colonial Section Is one of the most in- teresting in the entire exhi- bition. The earliest. a large canvas 111111111111111110111 iiiii 111111111111101111111111.0111111111.111111111.11111/111111. (unfortunately cracked down the centre> shows Sydney Cove in 1794. ft was painted by Thomas Watling. who arrived in New South Wales in 1791, and is the first picture known to exist of Sydney. Looking on the back of the picture yesterday, lust before it was hung, I found this in- scription written by Watling. "Painted immediately from nature In the 7th year of settlement." Don't miss Conrad Marten's "Looking East Over Circular QuaY"; Benjamin Duterreau's "Sullivan's Cove" inot unlike a 1951 Lymburner II; Colonel Light's Self Portrait; and a de- licate water-colour portrait, Mrs. Watson, painted by Thomas Wainewrlght, artist, writer, dandy, forger, poisoner, and con- vict. Also arresting is Henry Burn's lively "Swanston Street From Princes' Bridge." Our first true steps in art COMING to the Art of the Middle Period we enter an age that saw the birth of the first true Australian art. This was the age that ushered in painters such as Julian Ash- ton, Rupert Bunny, Charles Condor. Hans Heysen, George Lambert, John Longstaff, the Llndsays, Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton. Blamire Young, and others who have left their mark or. Australian art. From this galaxy of great names we find paintings such as Tom Robert's "Bailed Up": Julian Ashton's "Solitary Ramble": Conder's"Departure of S.S. Orient": E. Phillips Fox's "The Art Students"; George Lambert's "Flower Study", Frederick McCubbin's "The Lost Child": Streeton's "Old Redfern Station." and David Davies' "Moonrise, Templestowe." In this section compare THE COURIER -MAIL, RAT., AUG. 4, Quinn's "Portrait of Old Mrs. Marshall" with "Madam Mild" from Tom Roberts' pal- ette. Or for contrast take Lam- bert's "The White Glove." Dolsell and his contemporaries QUEENSLAND in- terest in contemporary art will centre in William Dobell's Archibald Prize winning portrait of Brisbane artist, Margaret 011ey, controversial to some, °opulent to others. But of the paintings represen- tative of this great painter, nothing could be more arresting than his "Portrait of an Irish Youth" and another little gem, "Women in a Cafe," Joshua Smith's "Portrait Group," Eric Wilson's "Stove Theme" Justin O'Brien's "Boy In Costume," Donald and Friend's "Boy With Fetish," are all ringed in my catalogue. But I fdund a double -ring around Constance Stoke's "Girl in Red Tights," with irs flesh tints and background bathed in worm, red glowing light, pointing of considerable artistic merit as disturbing as it is stimulating. Yes, we have come a long way suite Thomas Watling painted "immediately from nature" to William Dobell's fanciful "Saddle ' My Nag." We have found our I feet in art. MAY SEE ART AT NIGHT Opening the National Art Gallery at night would be considered. the Gallery's chairman of trustees (Mr. Edgar Ferguson) said Yes- . He had been asked whether such action, to per- mit Show visitorsto see the Commonwealth Jubilee Art Exhibition, was planned. Present gallery hours me 10 a.m.-5 p.m. during the week, and 2 p.m. -5 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. The Jubilee Exhibition of paintings, drawn from Ails- - tralla's National Galleries and private collections, and including n comprehensive diaplav of aboriginal art, was opened yesterday by the Treasurer iMr. Gain). It will remain open until September 1.