The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1893-04-01 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

LOCAL ARTISTS IT THE SPRING EIGIBMON OP PICTURE&  [SECOND NOTICI.]  We now proceed with a more detailed criticism of Wirral artists' contributions to this exhibition. No. 568, 'Evening near Moreton," by H. Hiles, is an oil painting characteristic of the scenery of that part of Wirral, the sunset effect being faithfully rendered. No. 569, "Bed Wharf Bay," by Miss Ada Harrington, represents this well known portion of the Principality. The foreground and sky are fairly rendered, but the hills hardly give us a oorreot idea of distance. No. 570,' fired Out," by Miss T. N. Banner, represents a terrier dog reclining on a brightly coloured sofa, evidently after his "watchful duties," have been faithfully accomplished. No. 574, " Sister Therese," by Miss Ethel G. Jones, a clever and lifelike portrait of much power, the light and shade of the face being capitally delineated; the modest value at which the picture is appraised by the artist should induce a ready sale. No. 575, "The Wings of the Morning," by R. T. Kelly, merits more than passing notice. The boats are a clever drawing ofi a difficult subject, while the colour and reflections are in Mr. Kelly's well known effective style. Mrs. L. Gorst contributes a small but highly coloured night scene in No. 572, which is most effective. The arm of the principal figure, however, is slightly out of drawing. The same remark applies to No. 592, "The Little Love God," by the same artist. The head, shoulders, and drapery are well and conscientiously painted, but a slight alteration in the drawing of the hand and arm mieht be readily made with advantage. No. 581, "The Earth rejoices in Green," Walter Witter, is a pleasant landscape, the representation of the pins trees and reeds being correctly portrayed. No. 584 "Portrait of my Mother," Mrs. H. C. Howarth. This is one of the best portraits in the exhibition, and has evidently been a labour of love, the care taken over the light and shade, together with the faithful rendering of the skin colouring and textures, produce an harmonious whole, most creditable to this lady artist. No. 586, "The Beginning of Winter," Henry Simm, strikes the eye as crude and unfinished, the trees being the most satisfactory part of the work. No. 589, "The Sentinel of the Pass Savoy," Joseph Kitchingham. The male of rook above the Pass and the rich colouring of the ,foreground are the principal features of this excellent work. The artist has hardly been quite so successful with the distance, which shows a lack of finish. No. 133, "Fair Head, County Antrim," by Arthur Cox, is decidedly the most spirited sea piece in the exhibition. The tremendous force of the waves sweeping over the rocks from the broad Atlantic ocean upon this ex. posed portion of the Irish coast, are well con. treated with the misty weirdness and silent majesty of Fair Head raising itself high above the turbulent water below. We have not seen a picture by this" Graphic" artist that has pleased us more. On the line, and near to the last mentioned, we find C. Melville Mackay's work, No. 156, "A Study in Red and Gold " ; this clever little painting of a head is admirably and brightly painted in the artist's beet style, and his versatility is well shown in his landscape painting. "On the Levan Sands," a view near Penmaenmawr, which has the rare quality of combining breadth and power with careful detail. We recommend this picture to the notice of the members of the Lancashire and Cheshire Historical Society, as it represents the exact spot of one of the "Lost or sunken lands of the British Isles," which Mr. E. W. Cox mentioned in his able lecture of Thursday last before the Society at the Royal Institution, Colquitt-rtreet. The stones in the foreground depict where the palace of the Welsh prince stood, whose land and palace were, by the magician's prophesy, overwhelmed and revenged by the sea, as a judgment for murder committed by one of his ancestors. After a night of revelry in the palace the ees, rose in the early morning and swept over the meadows and houses, causing great devastation, hence the name "Levan," or weeping, which they are called to this day, so the legend runs. At low tide the walls and buildings of the buried village are plainly seen beneath the water.