George Edmund Butler became New Zealand’s second official war artist in August 1918 – as it turned out, just three months before the end of the war. There are almost 100 of his works in New Zealand's National Collection of War Art, making him this country's most prolific First World War artist
Painting
Articles
Parliament's culture and traditions
Explore Parliament's rich history and its colourful culture and traditions. Read the full article
Page 3 - Parliament in postcards
Painters and photographers loved to capture the beauty of Parliament's buildings in postcards, and New Zealanders and visitors sent these to friends and family in new Zealand and
History of New Zealand painting
Early European painting in New Zealand was dominated by landscapes and images of exotic Māori. From the 1890s the local art scene was boosted by the arrival of professional painters from Europe. But it wasn't until the 1930s and 40s that a distinct style of painting began to emerge here. Read the full article
Page 1 - History of New Zealand painting
Early European painting in New Zealand was dominated by landscapes and images of exotic Māori. From the 1890s the local art scene was boosted by the arrival of professional
Page 2 - Beginnings
While the first New Zealand artists often had scenic interests, they were also influenced by art historical practices and
Page 4 - A new New Zealand art
In the 1930s and 1940s a distinctly New Zealand style of painting began to emerge - regionalism that is characterised by a preoccupation with place and local
Page 5 - Expressionism and abstraction
The revolutions in early 20th century European art took a long time to influence New Zealand painting. Cubism, for example, took four decades to be accepted
Page 6 - Contemporary Māori art
Between 1960 and 1980 a strong resurgence of Maori nationalism and culture developed alongside a growing political voice and demand for the honouring of the Treaty of
Page 7 - Further information
Links and books relating to New Zealand art
Biographies
Colin McCahon’s works became some of the most recognisable and celebrated paintings ever to be produced in New Zealand.
Frances Hodgkins’ 56-year career as an artist earned her a secure place among the English avant-garde of the 1930s and 1940s. She was the first New Zealand-born artist to achieve such stature.
Augustus Earle was the first European artist to establish himself for a time in New Zealand and make a prolonged study of part of the country and a number of its people.
From the 1960s Rita Angus was recognised as one of the leading figures in 20th-century New Zealand art.
Main image: Pai Mārire supporters
Watercolour by Lieutenant Herbert Meade (1842-1868) depicting a Pai Mārire ceremony at Tataroa on 27 January 1865.
