You Name It…

Rosemary Young

A Film on the Washington National Gallery of Art showed row on row, wall on wall of priceless paintings—tvpically American: You name it, they'll buy it—Fra Angelico, Bottecelli, Raphael, Bellini, Titian, Van Eyke, Holbein, Rembrandt, da Vinci … and many more.

But the film was not just a lengthy name drop, nor just a lengthy display of priceless treasures, but rather showed up a few interesting irregularities at the same time. For example, the X-rays of paintings to show their original form, in comparison with their eventual conception. Or the painting of Master John Heathcote—the audience all thought he was a girl until the commentator informed us to the contrary. Or the minute details of a horse or a figure measuring 1/17th of an inch.

Having such a large number of priceless works, the gallery is a good lesson in "instant art history, making trends such as the evolution from the painting of the religious to the secular, obvious … Loved the lectour broadcasts (continuous radio lecture that is picked up by earphone, talking about specific paintings as one enters their range) … Fascinated to note that the gallery has its own orchestra.

It would be unfair to compare the National Gallery of Art with our own National Gallery but two comparisons can safely be made. In the Washintgon Gallery the air is washed (how does one wash air) and filtered to remove any impurities that may prove injurious to the exhibits.

In the Washington gallery one may sketch, or snap as many photos as you have film. Unless they've changed the rules, at the National Gallery you may do neither— no doubt this is to prevent any of our Sunday painters producing the perfect imitation of one of our priceless National treasures.

Tesswell Studio held an open day on April 20. The studio has been opened now for two and a half years, exhibiting craftwork for sale ranging from pottery, prints, and ceramics through to enamel and woodware.

The exhibition was disappointing in that less than usual was displayed: however a little of superior quality is infinitely superior to a wider range of inferior quality.

The work displayed was of a high standard—in keeping with the reputation that the studio has built in Wellington.

I particularly liked Simon Engelhard's set of oyster dishes—six finely textured pottery bowls, resembling the shape of a sundae dish, in a celedon green shade. They sold at the reasonable price of approximately $7.

A relatively untapped field in local art is that of Batik cloth printing, in which a pattern is made in wax and the remaining part of the cloth is dyed; the wax is later removed, and the design is formed by omission. The Batik cloth wall hangings were exhibited by Tessa Overdale.

A focal point in the exhibition was a three-legged chair by Dubois of Auckland, priced at about $22: unusual and exciting.

Other exhibits included hand printed table mats, basketware and prints including some of the Blue Beardsleys.

There were a wide range of coffee mugs, selling both separately and in sets at around $1.65 each. Generally I felt these to be of a high standard.

The idea of a ceramic chess set was both novel and good, but the shapes of this exhibit were of poor quality and unexciting.

There was also a wide range of jewellery that tended to be a little common place, but quite pleasing.

Generally the exhibition was of a high standard, and a visit to the Tesswell Studio at 299 Cuba St. is well worthwhile.