69 



35irD {Pictures at tbe IRoval aca^einv. 



By H. GooDCHiLD, M.B.O.U. 



^>^ HIS 3'ear at the " R. A." one has the unwonted 



(G; pleasure of seeing pictures by three artists 



^^""^^ who are well known as painters of bird life. 



I had not been long in Gallery No. I. before I 



caught sight of a picture (" skied," of course) which 



I could recognise at a glance as being from the 



talented brush of Mr. G. E. lyOdge, who, nearly 



twenty years ago, was well known to the readers of 



the then charming English Illustrated Magazine as the 



author, artist, and engraver, too, that contributed the 



delightful articles, " Bird Life in South Sweden," 



" Poachers, Feathered and Furred," etc. 



As might be expected from an artist much of 

 whose early life was spent in the now nearly lost (and 

 must we say unappreciated ?) art of wood engraving, 

 the greatest qualities shewn are those of elaborate 

 detail and finish. Here is no slap-dash work with a 

 large brush, but a careful and almost severe rendering 

 of a hillside amongst Norwegian mountains, with the 

 half-invisible Ptarmigan scattered about amongst rocks 

 and lichens. " Ptarmigan Ground : Norway " (No. 37) 

 is the title. For intense realism and fidelity I should 

 place Mr. Lodge foremost amongst the artists who 

 devote themselves to bird painting, and am, therefore, 

 glad that the public are this year privileged to see one 

 of his pictures, even though they cannot see it 

 suflSciently near to appreciate ils truthful detail, and 

 minute feather painting, for which Ptarmigan and 

 other game birds offer such scope. 



The second picture I noticed was Mr. J. W. 

 God ward's " Flabellifera" (No. 252) which, although 

 a figure subject, is worthy of notice for the perfect 

 painting of the Peacock's feathers. 



Sir Harry Johnston's picture ("skied," like Mr. 



