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Artwork Description

This essay originally appeared in New Zealand Art at Te Papa (Te Papa Press, 2018). In 1940, six years after Margaret Stoddart’s death, EH McCormick observed in his centennial survey, Letters and art in New Zealand, that along with the still life of zinnias by DK Richmond, ‘Miss Stoddart’s roses have become part of the tradition of New Zealand painting’.1 Stoddart was arguably this country’s best-known painter of flowers. Born in 1865, and a foundation student at the Canterbury College School of Art, she acquired her reputation in the colonial period. The widespread interest in indigenous flora provided her with an incentive for closely observed studies of plants, and she embarked on numerous painting expeditions. In 1886 and 1891 she visited the Chatham Islands, and after meeting Australian flower painter Ellis Rowan, she travelled to Melbourne in 1894, where she held an exhibition. In her still-life paintings Stoddart followed a traditional composition of an arrangement of cut flowers placed in a vase on the table. Over the following decades, she developed a range of impressionist and decorative effects. Roses is a virtuoso display of Stoddart’s later watercolour technique in which the artist demonstrates her skill and control of washes in a dazzling play of reflections on the polished table and the loose mesh of rapidly applied and vigorous brushmarks that makes up the patterned background. This is one of her boldest and most accomplished flower paintings, and when the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts purchased it in 1930, it was the second still life of roses that the academy had acquired from the artist for its collection. Stoddart developed her impressionist style in the United Kingdom and Europe where, based from 1898 until 1906 at the artists’ colony of St Ives, she began to concentrate on landscape painting. Shortly after her return, Old homestead, Diamond Harbour, c.1913 (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū), a depiction of the artist’s birthplace, would become one of her best-known works. In the late 1920s she explored regional motifs, and her stark images of the South Island hinterland and robust handling of the watercolour medium confounded gender expectations and challenged critics to recognise the breadth of her subjects and styles. Julie King

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Artist Biography

Margaret Olrog Stoddart: A New Zealand Watercolourist

Early Life and Education

Born in Diamond Harbour, Canterbury, New Zealand in 1865, Margaret Olrog Stoddart was one of six children.
Her family moved to Scotland in 1876, where she attended Edinburgh Ladies' College.
Returning to New Zealand in 1882, she enrolled at the Canterbury College School of Art (now Ilam School of Fine Arts), completing her studies in 1890.
She became a member of the Palette Club, dedicated to painting from nature.

Artistic Development and Style

Stoddart established herself as a prominent flower painter during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Her artistic style is characterized by her masterful use of watercolour, a popular medium of the time.
She frequently depicted landscapes and still-life compositions, reflecting the aesthetic preferences of her era.
Her travels to the Chatham Islands in 1886 and 1891 provided inspiration for documenting the islands’ unique vegetation.

European Influences and Travels

Around 1898, Stoddart embarked on a nine-year period of artistic exploration in Europe.
She resided in London, St Ives (Cornwall), France, and Italy, immersing herself in diverse artistic environments.
Her work was significantly influenced by the Impressionist and Expressionist movements prevalent during this time.
She studied with notable artists such as Norman Garstin, Louis Grier, and Charles Lasal.
Stoddart exhibited her paintings at prestigious venues including the Royal Institute in London, the Society of Aquarellists in Rome, and salons in Paris.

Return to New Zealand and Later Life

In 1906, Stoddart returned to New Zealand, settling with her family in Christchurch.
She continued to paint and exhibit her work, becoming a respected figure in the local art community.
Stoddart was an active member of the Christchurch Sketch Club and served as vice president of the Canterbury Society of Arts.
She also shared her expertise by teaching at the Canterbury College School of Art, influencing generations of young artists including Toss Woollaston and Evelyn Page.

Major Achievements and Legacy

Stoddart’s paintings were acquired by prominent institutions such as the Canterbury Society of Arts and the Canterbury Museum early in her career.
Her work was praised by critics, including recognition in The Sunday Times.
Following her death in 1934, major retrospective exhibitions of her art were held in Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland in 1935.
Today, Margaret Olrog Stoddart is recognized as a significant figure in New Zealand’s art history, celebrated for her delicate watercolour paintings and contribution to the country's artistic heritage.

Historical Significance

Stoddart represents an important link between European artistic trends and the development of a distinctively New Zealand visual culture.
Her dedication to capturing the beauty of the New Zealand landscape through watercolour painting helped establish a tradition that continues to inspire artists today.
Her work provides valuable insights into the social and cultural context of late 19th and early 20th century New Zealand.

margaret olrog stoddart

1865 - 1934 , New Zealand

Quick Facts

Birth Date: 1865
Birth Place: Diamond Harbour, New Zealand
Death Date: 1934
Influenced By:
- Impressionism
- Expressionism
Movement:
- Impressionism
- Expressionism
Name: Margaret Olrog Stoddart
Nationality: New Zealander
Notable Works: Watercolour paintings (landscapes & floral)

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