1868, at Dibhan, Moab, and gives a history of the defeat of Jehoram, King
of Israel, by Mesha, King of Moab, who describes how he conquered many
cities, and how he carried out various irrigation and other works by the
labour of captive Israelites, B.C. 895. The account given in Kings II.,
chapter 3, concludes with the statement that the Israelites “returned to
their own land,” for, as usual, the conquered omit unpleasant details,
while the conqueror makes the most of the victory.

What has been done in reference to the museum has been already told, but it was only at the close of last year that practical steps were taken to select some pictures for the gallery which it was proposed to establish.

During a recent visit to Melbourne Mr. Hackett, one of the members of the committee, was entrusted with the duty of examining some pictures which had been recommended to the committee, and reporting upon them. Mr. Hackett saw a number of gentlemen on the subject, and the result was that Mr. J. Lake, an amateur well known in the art world, was specially asked to help in the choice.

Mainly under his auspices nine pictures were selected and recommended to the committee for purchase. The committee accepted the selection, and Sir John Forrest, in the heartiest manner, fell in with their views, and placed the £1,000 which were required for the purchase at their disposal.

On his late visit to Melbourne Sir James Lee-Steere, chairman of the committee, inspected the pictures and warmly approved of the selection. Immediately after this inspection the pictures, which had been previously cleaned, were sent to Perth, where they arrived last week, and have since reached their home in the building appropriated to their use on what is now known as Museum Hill. There under the charge of Mr. Woodward they are being hung, and will be shortly on view to the public, probably in the course of next week. Though few, it is believed that the verdict will be that they are not as a whole unworthy to be made, at least, the beginning of a national collection. The limited finds at the disposal of the committee prevents any very costly works being procured, but at all events the committee seem to have got value for their money.

The most important picture, undoubtedly, is a portrait by Sir Thomas Laurence, P.R.A. It is very rich in colour, and is in excellent preservation. The portrait is a strikingly handsome one, and its method of treatment characteristic of the painter, who has endowed it with that voluptuous beauty he gave to so many of his portraits of women.

“Lake Lugano,” by R. P. Bonington, which like the Laurence, was secured from the collection of the late Dr. Fisher, is a perfect little gem, and is painted with exquisite clearness and brilliancy. It was one of the most popular pictures in the loan collection at the Centennial Exhibition.

A marine painting, “The Lizard Point,” by William Melby, R.A., of Copenhagen, attracted considerable notice in Melbourne, when it was first exhibited, some 14 or 15 years ago. The Argus wrote :—”The latest, if not the best, work from the pencil of Mr. Melby, the marine painter, . . . represents a rough sea with half a gale blowing on the iron-bound coast of Cornwall. A vessel is bowling away before the breeze, and a steamer is labouring against the waves in the murky distance. Some portions of the rugged cliffs are frowning in shadow, while, upon the green knoll, where sheep are pasturing, a gleam of sunshine lingers like a caress.  Below, the waters chafe and foam, and are broken up into mist and spray. . . . In all respects it is a fine picture.” The Australasian wrote :—”A very fine specimen of William Melby, painted this year, to order, at a liberal price. This grand picture, which displays the artist’s merits as a faithful translator of sea and sky, has Lizard Point for its subject. . . . Its realism is such that it requires not much imagination to feel the force of the wind, to hear the thunderous boom and swash of the breakers, and smell the salt breath of the ocean. . . . A valuable and beautiful acquisition.” This picture was purchased from Mr. William Mather, for whom it was painted.

One of the Melbourne dailies, writing of Arthur Helcke's foreshore picture of “Roquaine Bay, “Guernsey,” described it a remarkable for its luminous sky and fine quality of light and spaciousness. When it is hung, and on view to the public, it will probably prove one of the most popular pictures in the gallery, at it in now one of the best in the small collection which has already been made. It was brought out by the Earl of Buckinghamshire in the Grosvenor collection, and attracted considerable attention.

Two Australian artists are represented in the collection, the one being the late Louis Buvelôt, and the other Frederick M‘Gubbin, of the Melbourne National Painting School. Of the two pictures, the one being Buvelôt’s “Road to Dromana,” and the other McGubbin’s “Down on his Luck,” the Melbourne Herald says the former in painted as only the veteran Buvelôt, and nobody since him, could paint—absolute in local truth an unimpeachable in its fidelity to the atmosphere and colour of the Australian bush. Mr McGubbin’s picture is his celebrated “Down on his Luck,” probably the best picture he has ever painted, known to all now by the excellent reproductions that have been made of it, and certain to be popular—deservedly so—in a colony where the pioneers have sometimes been only too familiar with the melancholy condition of “doing a parish.”

The last of the oil paintings is a charmingly finished little picture, called “The Fruit Girl,” by J. H. S. Mann.

The remaining picture, and the only one of this instalment painted in water colours, is E. H. Fahey’s favourite view of Windsor. As a painter of still water, he has few rivals, and, perhaps, a better example of the excellent qualities of his work could hardly be obtained than this, which has frequently been copied on account of its great beauty.

When our representatives visited the Art Gallery yesterday afternoon, Mr. Woodward and his assistant were hanging the newly-arrived pictures. Some of them were already on the walls, but Mr. Woodward explained that the Gallery would not be open to the public until Tuesday next.

The first painting to be viewed was “A Portrait,” by Sir James Lawrence, who in the beginning of the century was at the zenith of his fame as a portrait painter. In the year 1820 he was elected president of the Royal Academy. The picture shows the head and bust of a lady of the time, and is executed in the manner which one would expect from so great a master. The price paid for the painting was 250 guineas.

“Lake Lugarno,” [sic] by R. P. Bonington, is a charming little picture, and gives one a clear indication of the great name the artist would have made for himself had he lived longer. He died in 1828, at the early age of 28 years.

The picture which is certain to attract the most attention and admiration is “Low Tide at Guernsey,” by Arnold Helcké. The atmospheric effects are beautifully caught, while the merest detail has been so carefully attended to by the artist that it is greatly assisted in making a pronounced success of the whole. It is the sort of picture of which one would never tire, for there is always something new to be seen and appreciated in it. It is a fine large canvas, and is hung in a prominent place.

“Royal Windsor,” is the only water-color of the group, and it can well hold its own with those in oils, for it is the work of that great artist, E. H. Fahey, R.I., the modern painter who is renowned for his water-colors and landscapes. It is a painting of Windsor, taken from the northern side of the Thames. In foreground is the river, while in the background is the magnificent regal pile, with its dark battlements standing out distinctly. The perspective is splendid, and one seems to see every inch of the space intervening between the river and the castle.

“On the Road to Dromana” is a typical Australian scene painted by Louis Buvelôt, of Melbourne.

The general effect of “The Lizard Point, Cornwall,” by William Mellbye, R.A., of Copenhagen, is good, but, on a more minute examination being made, it strikes one as peculiar that a barque under full sail should be sailing along on the next wave to the breakers with a heavy breeze blowing on to a lee shore.

“Down on his Luck,” by Fredk. M‘Cubbin, a leading Melbourne painter, is sure to meet with much attention and sympathy. It shows a bushman seated on a stone in the bush over a small fire, evidently down on his luck, as the title denotes. All the main points are capitally brought out, and the picture is essentially realistic.

The eighth and last painting is “The Little Fruit Girl.”

Gallery, and entirely agree with his advice as regards the selection of
English and continental pictures, sculpture and engravings for our own
collection. At the same time I would point out that Mr. Hall entirely
neglects to recommend that pictures painted in Australia should be bought.
This is a very grave omittance, as will be recognised by anyone who is at
all aware of the high standard to which painting has attained in the
Australian colonies. To those who do not know I may say that many of the
students who studied under Mr. Hall’s predecessor, the late G. F.
Folingby, when they have gone to Paris have immediately taken a good
position in the artistic world, and many of their pictured have been
awarded medals and been hung in the place of honour in the Salon. To those
who are interested in artistic matters, the names will be familiar of
Longstaff, Fox, Altson, Bunny, and others too numerous to mention, with
that of McKennell in sculpture. Of even earlier Australians than these are
C. D. Richardson (who took the prizes for both painting and sculpture at
the Academy—the two never before taken, I believe, by the one person) and
Tom Roberts who also distinguished himself at home. Those two latter, with
several of the former, are now living and painting in Australia. Many
others there are whose forte is to show the beauty of Australian
landscape. Some years ago several large collections of English pictures by
the best men wore brought out to Sydney and Melbourne, and exhibited as a
mixed collection with pictures by Australian artists, and the local
productions did not suffer by the contrast. The trustees of the National
Galleries of both Sydney and Melbourne are encouraging art in their
respective countries to a considerable extent. Not only is there a
National School of Painting in both places, where the students get the
best instruction at nominal fees and travelling scholarships are bestowed,
but the Governments liberally subsidise independent artistic societies.
Besides this, each gallery is buying liberally the pictures of Australian
artists. I hope that our trustees will see fit to follow this good example
and afford the means of educating the eyes of our public to see the
beauties that certainly exist in the landscape and incidents of our
country.—Yours, etc.,

KANGAROO.
Perth, October 15.

M. Kelly, indigenous seeds ; Mr. Y. Y. Downes, two snakes from the North-
West ; Prof. William Nicholas, Coolgardie, rock specimens from Bayley’s
West Extended mine ; Mrs. Reynolds, Lockville, six snakes ; Mr. Jas. Lamb,
a Java sparrow ; Mr. H. P. Woodward, 16 specimens of tin stone from
Greenbushes, four specimens of tourmaline, one piece of scheelite, three
specimens of lode tin from Mt. Wells, Northern Territory, S. A.; stream
tin from McKinley Range, Northern Territory, S.A.; and one specimen of
heavy spar from Cranbrooke, G.S.R.  Dr. Tratman has kindly lent a native
grinding stone and pestle (for pulverising roots for food) from the
Murchison district. During the past four open days there have been 357
visitors to the Museum.

Yours, etc.,
BERNARD H. WOODWARD.
Perth, August 17.

West Australian Art Gallery is one which most laymen would feel diffident
in accepting. The educational purpose which such a national collection is
designed to serve, as is explained in the interesting communication from
Mr. L. Bernard Hall, director of the Melbourne National Gallery, which was
published in this journal on Wednesday morning, is different to that of a
private collection. As yet only the merest nucleus of the West Australian
natural collection has been selected. The fist series of works of art were
received some months ago, and another consignment has now come to hand.
The paintings included in the latter consignment were recommended for
purchase by Dr. Agnew, of Hobart, to Sir James Lee-Steere, chairman of the
committee of the Perth Museum—which is charged with the expenditure of the
yearly grant. Sir James saw these pictures while on a visit to Tasmania
some time ago. They are all the work of English artists, and had been sent
out to Tasmania for exhibition and sale.

The paintings selected are six in number, and the price paid for them was
in the aggregate £804. The pictures have not yet been hung, and therefore
cannot be inspected to the best advantage. Those who inspect them will,
however, not all agree that the value of the amount named has been
obtained, or that the paintings will have a very high educational value to
the artist or to the lay connoisseur. The most eminent name which appears
as the signature of any of the paintings is that of Mr. W. P. Frith, R.A.,
who is represented in “The Match Sellers.” The painting represents a city
street scene—a woman with two children, one a babe in arms, offering
matches for sale. The picture is criticised on account of the wax-doll
appearance of the children and the fact that the figures present a well-
nourished and comfortable appearance not usually associated with those who
earn their living tinder the circumstances depicted. The picture was
purchased at £100. This, however, seems to the observer who next turns to
“Lancing Mill,” to have been moderate. This canvas depicts a Sussex rural
scene—a windmill in a hay field with stacked sheaves, and the figures of
rustics engaged in harvesting operations, and in the distance a valley.
The picture possesses an effective sky. The artist is James Aumonier, and
the price £300, and on noting the latter fact the suggestion may arise
that some portion of the worth of the picture must have been deemed to lie
in its size. “In Sight At Last,” a depiction of a scene outside a cottage
in a fishing village on the sighting of an expected vessel possesses some
elements of effectiveness, and compared with the last-named picture the
price of £160 does not seem high. The figures, however, lack life, and the
colouring is thin. The artist is W. Perth Watson, R.B.A. “Morning Light “
is not one of the strong points of the collection, the scene depicted
being a sea-girt cliff, the reflection of the morning sun on the sea being
emphasised. The artist is S. Morrish, and the price £100. The last two
paintings strengthen the collection. One of these is a scene from the much-
painted Burnham Beeches, by Miss Florence Fitzgerald. The technique is
good, and the autumn tints, which form the characteristic feature of the
colouring of the picture, are effectively brought out. Life is given to
the picture by the figures of children gathering fallen leaves. Effective
portions of the painting are the representation of the water lying under
an old beech tree, the ruts of the rough track running through the wood,
and the background of wood and undergrowth, the artist having avoided the
device of dismissing this portion of the background in the manner of a
photograph. The painting, as compared with the others, is indeed cheap at
£84, though the figures are far from satisfactory. The sixth painting is
“The Rugged North,” by G. E. Hargeil, R.I., a Scotch mountain in the
background, with characteristic clouds and a drove of Highland cattle in
the foreground. This is one of the cheap pictures, as regards the amount
paid, £60, but it will be more than some of the others an ornament to the
collection.

In addition to the paintings, the art collection has lately been added to
by a number of plaster copies of examples of classical statuary, from the
establishment of Messrs. Brucciani and Co., of London. The originals are
for the most part in the British Museum, the Louvre, or the Vatican. They
include a copy of the Venus of Milo, from the famous original in the
Louvre, which is accepted as the classical model of the female form ; a
figure of Iris, from the British Museum, the feature of which is the
draping, an equestrian frieze from the Parthenon, Assyrian friezes, and
several minor examples, such as the head of Sophocles, etc.

Neither the models of statuary nor the paintings are yet on public view,
but the authorities of the Museum, where they are located, hope to have
them open for inspection almost immediately.

the gentlemen appointed, Mr. Walcott and Mr. Pritchard, of Melbourne, both
of whom bore very high credentials. While they conferred the appointment
on Mr. Woodward, the Committee felt the utmost gratification at what they
considered the distinguished qualifications of the two gentlemen named.