'Campaign’s compelling images'

In November 2020 the Turnbull Endowment Trust launched the Paintings in Perpetuity campaign to raise funds to support the repairing and cleaning of paintings in the Library’s collection. Inaugural donor Barbara Blake found herself captivated by one particular artwork: the damaged portrait of a Scottish settler in New Zealand, Marion Menzies Gibb. By Dr Oliver Stead

‘Marion has a quiet beauty about her. She has dignity. I could see some sadness in her face,’ reflects Barbara. ‘She sailed to New Zealand from Scotland in the 1870s, the same way as my ancestors. She also lived through a vicious epidemic, in her case scarlet fever. She had daughters, and so do I. But Marion lost three of her daughters to scarlet fever. Three, in one year. This is a portrait of her in mourning. Through this image, she is quietly telling us her story.’ Barbara is supporting treatment for the painting and frame (pictured above), which will include re-stretching the canvas, removing discoloured retouching, and filling of pigment and plaster losses.

Beginning with Alexander Turnbull’s own carefully selected collection of historial paintings, over the past century the Library has acquired many more framed works of art that richly document the history of New Zealand and the Pacific. Some of these works are more than 200 years old and have suffered historical damage before being acquired by the Library, or have become obscured by slow processes such as gradually darkening varnish and changes in the chemical properties of the pigments. While such works are now held in perpetuity, the Turnbull has not always had the resources to conserve them to a high standard pf presentation. The Library received many requests for loans of paintings for national and international exhibitions, for which the works naturally need to look their best. While digitization can make these images accessible to all, it’s of course much preferable to digitise a canvas that is clean and free of tears, holes, cracking and loss of pigments – defects that can be seen in forensic detail in digitised works.

The Turnbull has been extremely fortunate to have the support of Auckland Art Gallery and its Principal Conservator Sarah Hillary in assessing paintings for treatments. This requires paintings conservation expertise at the highest level and Sarah brought her vast experience to the Library in February, examining paintings and making recommendations for appropriate treatments.

If you would like to support the treatment of a painting in the collection, please contact Paula MacLachlan at contact@turnbulltrust.org.nz.

Dr Oliver Stead is Curator Drawings, Paintings & Prints

From Off the Record, 2021, Magazine of the Friends of the Turnbull Library

Oliver Stead with inaugural donor Barbara Blake, admiring the painting of mourning mother Marion Menzies Gibb, the wife of artist John Gibb. Image by Mark Beatty.

Please support our Paintings in Perpetuity crowdfunding campaign on Boosted Arts here.