That Shanghai is a town of many surprises was never better shown than at the New Portrait Gallery organized by Mrs, Gulland and Mrs, Wheelock on behalf of the British Women's Work, which was opened at Mrs. Gulland's house, last Friday, in Avenue Road Among the sixty to eighty portraits exhibited some are frankly the merest amateur attempts, the kindly effort of people who were willing to enter into the spirit of the jest for a good cause. But it was amazing to find how many unsuspected artists there are about, who can "turn out an excellent likeness, full of life and character and surprisingly well drawn and painted.
Prizes for timbre and technique, adjudged by Mrs. R. N. Macleod and Mr. Hayter, were as follows lst. Prize—Mr. W. E. Leveson, oil portrait of Mr. Hayter.
gnd. Prize—Miss Macleod, oil portrait of Mr. A. M. Cannan.
ard. Prize-Mr. Dick Bart, water colour portrait of Mrs. Macleod.
The above were for the paintings class. In the black and white room, the prize-winners were:—lst PrizeSir H Sausmarez, portrait of Lady de Sausmarez.
gnd Prize—Mr. J. H. Teesdale, pleasant and successful _afternoon and the greatest thanks are due to Mrs. Gulland for the she had made over her house for the exhibition, as for the tea and other refreshments generously given. The drive was gaily decorated with flags, and on the soft neutral tints of the drawing and dining room walls the pictures looked exceedingly well, while the lighting was simply perfection. Excellent as the pictures were they gained greatly from their setting.
The fate of the pearl necklace was decided last Friday; it went to Mrs. McDougal.
The exhibition wound up on Saturday evening in a blaze of unequalled success, and by Mrs. Wheolock's happy idea, so ably seconded by Mrs, Gulland and others, the British Women's Work Association benefits by the enormous sum of $5,068, not counting $1,900, the proceeds of the pearl necklace which was disposed of on Friday. Many thanks are due to Mrs, R. N. Macleod and Mr. H. Hayter, who helped enormously in the success of the exhibition, by doing all the hanging and everything connected with the exhibition that required any technical knowledge, and Mr. Hayter proved himself a most able auctioneer. Various Indies helped throughout the two afternoons in collecting funds, seeing to the tea and in many other ways. They were all dressed alike in very pretty artist's overalls of French grey, loose red ties and black cavalier hate. These ladies were, Lady Fraser, Mrs, Wheelock, Mra. Gulland, Miss Brand, Mies Bremner, Miss Welchman, Mrs. Springfield and Mise A. Macleod. To all and sundry, as to those who so generously ran' up the bidding, the Women's Work is very deeply indebted.
We must not forget Dinky, the Donkey, who collected $90 for the Blue Cross League. He has already received practical thanks, however, a carrot (0 it appeared) for every dollar dropped into the box, and could be sem "'swelling' visibly" with each fresh contribution.
The Voting Prizes.
The voting did not accord wich the view taken by the judges—though of course the latter considered technique more than likeness. The prizes went as follows:—Oil and water-colour class ist—Mr. R. Barff, portrait of Mrs. Macleod.
Snd—Mrs. Wheelock, portrait of Mre, Macleod and Master Macl>7. Only one vote separated first aa! second.
3rd—Mr. W. E. Leveeon, portrait of Mrs. Wheelock.
Black and white daes 1st—Mr. R. N. Macleod, portrait of Mre. Macleod; thie was an °x-tra ordinarily beautiful piece of work.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.