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Rita Angus
Catalogue, with biographical and critical essays
"Published in association with the exhibition Rita Angus organised by the National Art Gallery New Zealand and held there from 9 December 1982-6 March 1983"
Biographical essay / Janet Paul
The years 1908-1958 / Melvin N. Day
The later years 1959-1970 / Anne Kirker
Rita Angus criticism 1930-1970 / Michael Dunn
Symbolism & the generation of meaning in Rita Angus's painting / Ronald Brownson
Rita Angus portraiture / Anthony Mackle
Catalogue (Self-portraits & the Goddess portraits ; Portraits ; Plant, growth & still-life ; Landscapes ; Sketchbooks)
Artist's inventory
Chronology & list of exhibitions / Janet Paul
"Published in association with the exhibition Rita Angus organised by the National Art Gallery New Zealand and held there from 9 December 1982-6 March 1983"
Biographical essay / Janet Paul
The years 1908-1958 / Melvin N. Day
The later years 1959-1970 / Anne Kirker
Rita Angus criticism 1930-1970 / Michael Dunn
Symbolism & the generation of meaning in Rita Angus's painting / Ronald Brownson
Rita Angus portraiture / Anthony Mackle
Catalogue (Self-portraits & the Goddess portraits ; Portraits ; Plant, growth & still-life ; Landscapes ; Sketchbooks)
Artist's inventory
Chronology & list of exhibitions / Janet Paul
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 8, 2025
Between three and a half and four stars. A book that is by turns excellent and annoying.
Written as a companion to a major retrospective of the artist's work some dozen years after Angus's death, the book serves extremely well. There are plentiful notes on a wide array of the artist's paintings and sketches, and the book remains a major contribution to information about the life of one of New Zealand's foremost painters. The book includes some 40 full-page plates, about half of them in colour, plus thumbnail images of the more than 120 works that were in the exhibition. On these grounds alone, the book is a success.
Before this gallery of work, we find six lengthy essays on the artist, her art, and her milieu. These essays range from the fascinating and on point through the heavy slogs to at least one which (Ronald Brownson's analysis of symbolism within Angus's work) seems to miss the mark by enough of a margin to be difficult to read. And while the essays are headed as being on different aspects of the artist's life and career (Biography, The early years, The later years, Critique, Symbolism and the generation of meaning, Portraiture) there is a considerable overlap in what is being said.
Furthermore, there are considerable notable instances of what ISN'T said. From reading the essays it would be easy to assume that Rita Angus arrived fully fledged as an artist after a few years of art school, with no apparent influences worthy of mention. There is frequent mention, however, of other artists within her family (there was even a joint exhibition with a sister and a brother of the artist), but no mention of similarities or differences within the art of family members.
Neither is there any mention of external influence or Angus's place within the art world of her time. Yes, New Zealand is even today a relatively isolated country, and in the early to mid twentieth century was far more so. Yet overseas art would still have been pictured in magazines, and Angus made at least one European trip during her lifetime. The influence of classical art (works like "Rutu" have a clear Renaissance feel) and the similarity in style of works from near-contemporary artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Tamara de Lempicka should have been explored, as too should the influence of other New Zealand artists of the same time (Angus was, after all, a member of The Group, arguably New Zealand's most important art movement).
This is not to say that the book is bad - it remains a major work of Angus's career. I just wish that the essays had covered a wider range of areas in Angus's life and work rather than restating the same information several times.
Written as a companion to a major retrospective of the artist's work some dozen years after Angus's death, the book serves extremely well. There are plentiful notes on a wide array of the artist's paintings and sketches, and the book remains a major contribution to information about the life of one of New Zealand's foremost painters. The book includes some 40 full-page plates, about half of them in colour, plus thumbnail images of the more than 120 works that were in the exhibition. On these grounds alone, the book is a success.
Before this gallery of work, we find six lengthy essays on the artist, her art, and her milieu. These essays range from the fascinating and on point through the heavy slogs to at least one which (Ronald Brownson's analysis of symbolism within Angus's work) seems to miss the mark by enough of a margin to be difficult to read. And while the essays are headed as being on different aspects of the artist's life and career (Biography, The early years, The later years, Critique, Symbolism and the generation of meaning, Portraiture) there is a considerable overlap in what is being said.
Furthermore, there are considerable notable instances of what ISN'T said. From reading the essays it would be easy to assume that Rita Angus arrived fully fledged as an artist after a few years of art school, with no apparent influences worthy of mention. There is frequent mention, however, of other artists within her family (there was even a joint exhibition with a sister and a brother of the artist), but no mention of similarities or differences within the art of family members.
Neither is there any mention of external influence or Angus's place within the art world of her time. Yes, New Zealand is even today a relatively isolated country, and in the early to mid twentieth century was far more so. Yet overseas art would still have been pictured in magazines, and Angus made at least one European trip during her lifetime. The influence of classical art (works like "Rutu" have a clear Renaissance feel) and the similarity in style of works from near-contemporary artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Tamara de Lempicka should have been explored, as too should the influence of other New Zealand artists of the same time (Angus was, after all, a member of The Group, arguably New Zealand's most important art movement).
This is not to say that the book is bad - it remains a major work of Angus's career. I just wish that the essays had covered a wider range of areas in Angus's life and work rather than restating the same information several times.
Displaying 1 of 1 review