Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt:... must have thought that to be " modern " he must be as bizarre and grotesque as possible. I fear the new Town Hall, which is erected now in an awkward situation, will not bring much balm or consolation to the Aucklander's soreness over the ugliness of his buildings, for its design is humdrum and conventional, in the eternal, monotonous--socalled Renaissance style. The new spirit of Art, which strives to express our modern sentiments in modern forms, strong and simple, has not yet made itself felt in these isles. The same seems to be true about painting, and this idea is strengthened when one strolls through Auckland's Art Gallery. This gallery is certainly miles ahead of similar places in Christchurch and Dunedin, where soiled canvas hangs like washing on a clothes-line: it contains some good English landscapes, and a fair number of copies of old Masters. A true lover of art would like to see more of the latter, for only by studying them can local aspirants learn. But the absolute failure of the New Zealand landscape painter is very distressing: such beauty around him, and nobody able to do it justice! The Maoris alone have found a faithful portrayer in the young Aucklander, Goldie, whose Maori heads surprise one by the accurately detailed treatment of the subject and the reality of the colouring. More satisfactory is a visit to the Maori Museum which harbours the most gorgeous carvings, among others a war canoe hollowed out of a single tree, over 82 feet in length and 6 feet 7 inches in the beam, which could carry a hundred people. It is beautifully decorated. To appreciate Auckland properly, one must go out of the city, and ascend one of the numerous old volcanic cones. In the town itself the Albert Park lies on a very small hill. In...