Nocturne, Wellington, c. 1945. Watercolour on paper. 35 × 50 cm (unframed).
Lot 014 · Works on Paper
Nocturne, Wellington
Rita Angus (attributed)
Year
c. 1945
Medium
Watercolour on paper
Dimensions
35 × 50 cm (unframed)
Estimate
On request
A rare nocturnal work, depicting the Wellington waterfront at night from a vantage point that appears to be the Terrace. The composition is dominated by the reflections of harbour lights on the water — rendered in a technique of remarkable delicacy, the watercolour applied in thin washes that build to areas of surprising depth. The sky is a deep Prussian blue, the lights warm amber and white. The work has the directness and economy of a work made on the spot, in the cold, quickly — and all the more powerful for it.
Artist
Rita Angus (attributed)
Rita Angus (1908–1970) is one of the most important New Zealand painters of the twentieth century. Known primarily for her portraits and landscapes, she also produced a small number of nocturnal works during the 1940s that have received less scholarly attention. The attribution of the present work is based on comparison with signed examples in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and on a label on the reverse that appears to be in Angus's hand. The work has been examined by a specialist in New Zealand art and a full attribution dossier is available to registered bidders.