How to Read Them,” by Mr. Pitt Morison. The lecturer began his discourse
in the lecture-hall of the gallery, using crayons to demonstrate and
pictures to illustrate his explanations. Having briefly referred to the
rise of painting and its later differentiation into schools, Mr. Morison
set before his hearers a scheme of classification showing the division of
paintings into portrait, landscape, and subject pictures. Remarking that
his wish was to assist his students in their interpretation of pictures,
he next dealt with the various factors to be considered in judging the
value of such works of art. Such factors are motive, composition, drawing,
light and shade, colour, and treatment ; these were dealt with seriatim,
Mr. Morison devoting special attention to motive and composition, and
illustrating his points by reference to the gallery exhibits. Leading his
students round the gallery, the lecturer started with the old masters and
passed rapidly through the Spanish, English, French, Dutch, and Australian
schools, applying his scheme of classification to individual paintings and
adding hints and suggestions calculated to lead to the desire on the part
of his hearers for a closer and more critical examination at a later
period. Throughout his remarks Mr. Morison referred to the two-fold
interpretation involved in a picture—that of the artist seeking to express
his emotions, and that of the spectator striving to re-interpret those
emotions for himself. During the course of the lecture the Director kindly
supplied the student-teachers with copies of the guidebook to the Art
Gallery and Museum. At the conclusion of the critical discourse upon the
selected pictures, the Principal of the College (Mr. W. J. Rooney) briefly
thanked Mr. B. Woodward, the Director, for the opportunity given to his
student-teachers, and Mr. Morison for his thoughtful and helpful address
and demonstration. He felt, in common with the others, that all would
visit the Gallery again, able to experience a richer and fuller
appreciation of its pictures, as the result of that afternoon’s visit.

presided, and despite the adverse weather there was a fair attendance. Mr.
Morison, whose remarks were illustrated by numerous lantern slides, stated
at the outset of his address that design generally was such a vast subject
that he intended to deal principally with decorative design. He traced the
history of the periods which gave birth to the various styles—such as
Egyptian, Grecian, Romanesque and Gothic—down to the present day. After
pointing out that construction or architecture was the root and basis of
all design, and dealing with the simpler types of architectural form, the
lecturer showed how style was dominated by the influence—noble or the
reverse—which had prevailed at any given period. Having impressed on his
audience the important part played on design by environment as provided by
Nature, Mr. Morison referred at length to the work of the late William
Morris, and concluded by giving examples of local design work, referring
particularly to that of Messrs. Vanzetti and F. M. Williams.

The lecturer drew comparisons between the various important Continental
galleries and museums, and said that London boasted of Parthenon
fragments, as against the Venus de Milo of the Louvre.  Even the latter’s
rich collections of painting, with their fabulous intrinsic value, did not
contain the greatest works of the greater masters of art.  For instance,
none of its Raphaels could compare with the Sistine Madonna or the Vatican
frescoes, while Milan claimed the “Last Supper.”  The most valued
productions of Velasquez, Rembrandt, and Van Dyke were in other galleries.
 It could be said that most of the masters of both earlier and later date
were retained by Italy.  But, putting that aside, it could be safely
asserted that Paris possessed an unrivalled collection of the most notable
painters of all time. It was its very general and very unusual excellence,
together with its vast numbers, that placed the museum of the Louvre at
the head of all European galleries. To Francois I. was due the inception
of the art collection of the Louvre, he having acquired a decided taste
for art during his Italian wars.  As France at that time could not boast
of any artists worthy of note, he included some Italian masters to take up
their abode at the capital. Chief amongst these were Leonardo de [sic]
Vinci and Andrea del Sarto.  Under the King’s fostering care, a new school
of art under Italian influence was begun. Under Louis XIV. the collection
was increased to 2,000, and the Louvre became possessed of the valuable
art treasures of Charles I. of England.  Vast sums had been devoted to
securing pictures of importance.  In 1852 a decree was granted by the
President of 615,300 francs for the purchase of Murillo’s “Immaculate
Conception” at Marshal Soult’s sale.  In 1900 everything was transformed ;
schools were hung together, and overcrowded walls were thinned down. The
museum had the right to buy and sell, and had its own income of over
400,000 francs per annum.  Sculpture of ancient and middle-ages, and the
Renaissance, Assyrian, Greek, and Egyptian antiquities abounded.  A view
of the Louvre was shown, and its constructional advantages described.
Subsequently slides representing some 30 of the more valuable pictures in
the gallery were shown, but the lack of color effects somewhat detracted
from their artistic value, which the lecturer endeavoured to explain in
detail.