THE ARGUS

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

17 February 1926

(page 10)

MRS. MARKS’S EXHIBITION.

There opens this afternoon at the New Gallery, Elizabeth street, an exhibition of miniatures by Miss Stella Lewis Marks. The exhibition possesses some unique and interesting features. The popular tendency is to look for daintiness and prettiness in this class of work rather than for the more solid and enduring qualities; but investigation goes to show that the best of these painters were as keen on matters of tone, form, and force of execution as were the great portrait painters in oils.

Though the 22 miniatures shown vary to a certain extent in degree, there is in none of them any hint of niggling or uncertainty. There is evidence throughout of a very definite and well-considered artistic purpose. Mrs. Marks does not appear to have based her manner on that of any past celebrity, and, though there is just a suggestion of the elegance of Cosway in some of the portraits, the motive force generally is simply nature. The seated figure of “Mr. Allister [sic] Crowley,” arranged in the official robes of some mysterious cult or sect, has a sinister as well as an artistic purpose. The artist’s grip of the range of human personality is further expressed in the very charming study of a young girl with a Madonna face and an early Victorian manner. Further excellent examples are the head of Mr. Justice McKenna, of the Supreme Court, Washington; an unfinished “study” of a girl, and one of Mrs. Madge Carr Cook.

Mrs. Marks, together with her husband, Mr. Mont Marks, left Melbourne about 14 years ago. She has resided in America for the last 12 years, her time being spent chiefly in New York, but varied by professional visits to most of the large cities of the States. All her school training has been obtained at the Melbourne Gallery under Mr. Bernard Hall, and she speaks of it with feeling and appreciation. The exhibition will remain open until February 25.