The British Art Section of the 1906–1907 New Zealand International Exhibition: Its Complexities and Contributions to New Zealand’s Art History

Abstract

The British Art Section of the 1906–7 New Zealand International Exhibition in Christchurch remains the largest exhibition of British art in New Zealand history. However, its cultural impact has been little explored in art history scholarship. This article addresses contrasting interpretations of the section by examining its origins, purchases and legacies, reconsidering and recontextualising previous analysis by art historians Linda Tyler and Warren Feeney. The success of the section neither devastated nor revitalised the work of local artists, but instead reinforced the continued importance of purchasing British art for New Zealand and the pivotal role it played in shaping this country’s nascent art collections.