A(ter MlISs Mnjorca

c. N. WorsleyRobert McDougall An Gallery

+INTRODUCTIONDuring the 1900s C N Worsley wasone of the most popular artiSTS in NewZealand.

This popularity arose from the factthat his European imagery stood out at thatlime in strong contrast to the consrantappearance at exhibition ofstit[cd views 0(remote pans ofNew Zealand. Even thoughhe found SOffie favour with the public hewas only partially successful in achievingan identity as a New Zealand artist.

Worsley was perceived by many 10 bean English idneram who returned regularlyto Europe to refresh his imagery.

Unfortunately, even though he waselected a member of the Royal Society ofBritish Artists, he was not regarded inBritainasa British artist, butan Australian.

As a result of this dichowmy his lifeand work has been poorly documentedsince his death.

Worsley's speciality of paintingpicturesque views of Spanish and Swisstowns and lakes drew favourable attentionfrom art reviewers and by 1904 he wasbeing given more space than other artists.This however was short lived and by thebeginning of the second decade of thiscentury several review notices weredecidedly sour and critical.

On 9 October 1911 a reviewer for the'New Zealand Times' writing about theWorsley work being shown in the NewZealand Academy of the ArtS annualexhibition, Wellington, remarked in

, disapproval that the type ofsubject Worsleyfavoured had been 'done to death'. Thiswas one indication that studio artists likeWorsley were being marked as belongingto the 'old school' and did not havethe vigour of younger emergingcontemporaries.

In a sense Worsley's picture makingdevices were developed from an olderacademic tradition. Hedid his preparationthrough studies and watercolour sketchesmade as he travelled. n)ese he later

recomposed in his studio with a romanticnaturalistic vision to achieve maximumpictorial effect. Stylistically his origins inwatercolour were taken from the earlynineteenth century English watercolourschool lind hecould besaid to have absotbedmuch from the example oftravelling artistslike David Cox and Samuel Prout. This hemodified as a result of the influence ofconstantly sketching out of doors, anattitude that was part of the spirit of thelate nineteenth century.

In oil painting like many others hefollowed Victorian tendencicsofnaturalismexecuted with a slightly impressionisticbrush treatment.

Another dominant tendency of rhelate nineteenth century, realism, did notescape Worsley's attention either. Hisdepictions of continental tOwn life withordin:lry people going about dai ly tasks wasrepresentative of thiS, but figurativeclements were often added for picturesqueeffect rather than social commentary.

Worsley's New Zealand landscapepainting though often grandiose in scalenever quite achieved the grandeur of hisEuropean subject pictures. This waspossibly because the life of these wasdependent on the figurative content andthe colour and vigour that accompanied it.As this aspect was often diminished ortOtally lacking in many New Zealand worksthey were rarely as successful.

During the time he spent in NewZealand there were few contemporaryartists who were so widely travelled asWorslcy;orasprofessional. He isdeservingof a more secure place in this country's arthistOry.

Thissillall exhibition hlls been preparedas an initial recognition of this.

Neil RobemCurator

c. N. WorsleyOtarles Nathaniel Worsley was born

at Sidmouth Devon. His formative:cUucation and an education is relativelyobscure, although it is known that by 1882he was living in London and attending artcollege.

In 1881 he continUM his art studies inEurope and began u~velling.

The following year he spent in Parisstudying and made a visit to Portugal andSpain during me wrnmer, sketching andpainting. Spanish subjects in particularwere [0 remain dominant in Worsley'swork up until 3fQUnd 1908. In 1886 hebegan showing his work publicly andexhibited at the Royal Socicty of BritishArtists annual exhibition, Birmingham.

At mat time he was living baCK inLondon and had a studio in O'IarlotteStreet, Fitzroy Square. Worsley beganexhibiting with the Royal Institute ofBritish Artists in 1887 and furthered histfllvels in Europe.

By 1889 he had returned to Devon andwas living in Sidmouth. In May of the

same yeat he exhibited for the first time, atme Royal Academy, London, showing a

paintil'lll: tided '~rilyblows the chilleast wind, Wearily plod the tired fett.'

In 1891, having recently married,Worsley moved to Bridgnotth,Shropshire [0 live. Over the next fewyears he apPears ro have made manyvi!Oits to the continent particularly roSwitzerland. The Wilterco!our 'BerneSwitzerland' (cat No I), W3!0thepnxluctofa vi!Oit he made following hi!o$Ummer

navels of 1892. He also expanded hisjourneying [0 Germany and the Balearic

Islands, esp«;ially the Island of Majorca.This became a favourite place and resultedin many succes.sful works inc.luding 'AfterMa" Majorca' (cat No ).

As wen as submitting work forexhibition artheRoyal Academy, London,in the 18905, Worsley also exhibited withthe Royal Institute of Oil Paimer5; TheWalkerGallery, Liverpool; Manchester ArtGallery; The Royal Hibernian Academy,Dublin: Walke" Gallery London and atthe Paris Salon.

Around 1896 his wife who had an3!Othmatic condition was advised to seek. adrier dimau::; and it was decided that amove to AU$tralia might improve herhealth..

The time spent in Australia wasrdatively!Ohortbut enough [0 mark Worsleyin Britain as an AU$ualian artist thereafter.

At some time in the lattel pand 1897he and his wife left Sydney for NewZealandand by the beginning of 1898 mey wereliving in Gisbome. That year he beganexhibiting at a number ofart societyannualuhibitiON incltxling the New ZealandAcademy of Fine Arts (NZAFA).Auckland Soc.ietyof Arts (ASA), and theCamerburySocietyof Arts(CSA), wherethe watcrcolour 'Berne Switzerland' (catNo I), was purchased for its collection.

By the beginning of 1899 he had leftGisborne and had moved ro live inWellington.

When he exhibited that year at theOtago Art Society he was described by a

reviewer in 'The Triad' magazine as an'Australian artist'. Over the summer of1899-1900 Worsley made a sketching visitto Marlborough Sounds and Nelson. InMay 1900 he exhibited with the BishopdaleSketching Club which held its exhibitionat the newly opened Bishop Suter ArtGallery.

Later in the year he exhibited a numberofworksat theCanterburylubi ledndustrilllExhibition including a large oil painting'Alhambra PalaceSpain'. Thiswaschosenas firsr prize in the exhibition's Art Union.

Early in 1901 Worsley and his wifemoved to Christchurch and soon after hebegan taking a few private pupils; one ofthem was Eleanor Waymouth (Hughes).

He was elected a working member ofthe CSA and also the Royal Art SocietyofNSW. A watercolourwaspurcbased at the1901 annual society exhibition for theNational Art Gallery of NSW collection.During the summer of 1901·01 Worsleytravelled inOragoand Southlandsketchingand painting. At some rime during thisvisit he joined a vessel at l31uff that wasmaking a trip to Macquarie and AucklandIslands. There he made numerous studi~

of rhe seal colony. Soon after returning toChristchurch in February 1901 he was

e.~,s!y

Berne Switzerland

elected to the council of the CSA. Theminutes of the Society meetings revealthat he quickly became a Strong voice inthe decision making of the council.

The following summer of 1901·03Worsley spent time in the Mount Cookarea makingstudics which he later workedup in his studio into major watercoloursthat included 'Mount Sefton' (cat No 7),and 'Mt Sefton from Foliage Hill' (catNo 6). He then revisited Southland, thistime sketching and painting around LakesManapouri, Wakatipu and Te Anau beforewalking through the track to Milford.

On his return to Christchurch he setaboutpaintinga number ofworks ofMilfordincluding 'Man;Jwanui Near Milford' (CatN(5).

Among his social interests at this timewas the Savage Club to which he waselected a member in July 1903.

Worsley exhibited widely at NewZealand Art Society exhibitions that yearincluding the Wanganui An Society. Bythe end of1903 he was again contemplatingyet another move. He resigned from theCSA council in Decembet and by January1904 be and his wife werc living in Nelson.

Nelson was to be Worsley's home basefor the following twO years.

During 1904 he set off, on a paimingexcursion to Westland. From Nelson hetook a steamer to Westport where hepainted at Cape Foulwind and Millerton.Hispainting 'On the uockbetweenGranilyand Millerton' (cat No 8), was the resultofthis visit.

It seems that Worsley then journeyedby another steamer from Westport toHokitib and rravelled M:lUth as far asFranz josefGlacier. He then travelledto Quistchurch via the Otira Gorge,and from Lyuelton by sea back toNelson.

Through much of the summer of1904-05 he travelled a goo:! deal in theNorth Island. He journeyed north bysteamer up the east coaSt to the Bay ofIslands and Russell then on to Aucklandwhere he spent some weeks sketchingand paiming. He also visited Rotorua.

One of the highlights of 1906 forWorsley was to exhibit in November atthe New Zealand InternationalExhibition Christchurch were he wasawardcdgold medals for his watercolours'Cape Foulwind' and 'Mt Cook fromHoldtika'.

ByJanuary 1907heandhiswifehadmoved yet again, Ihis time to HawkesBay where they lived for IWO years.During that time he went on severalpainting trips including one toWanganui travelling up the WanganuiRiver as far as Pipiriki.

He continued to exhibit at 1(Xa1Art Society exhibitions and also .sentworks away for showing in Britain andAustralia.

The National An Gallery of NewSouth Wales gave him funhersupportandpurchased watercolours for its collectionin both 1907 and 1908.

Emly in 1909 a decision was made tomake <In extended visit back to Englandand Europe and late in february Worsleyand his wife sailed from New Zealand.They travelled flm to Sydney then toMelbourne, Adelaide and Fremande beforecrossing the Indian Ocean to Aden.

On the 13 March they passed throughthe Suez Canal and reached Port Said.From Pon Said the ship sailed on throughthe Mediterranean and the Straits ofMessina to Naples where the Worsley'sembadted. At the timesoumem Italy wasstill recovering from the effects of severeearthquakes which had devastated a

Mt Sefton from Foliage Hill

number of towns including the port ofMessina.

Worsley's \909 sketchbook indicatesthat afterarriving at Naples he made studiesand sketchesatSorrento and $olernobeforejourneying north to Perugia, then on to

Innsbruck, the Tyrol, Switzerland andevemually Engl:md.

During August 1909 he held a solo

exhibition of New Zealand views at theModern Gallery, London.

The following month, prior to theopeningof the prestigious Royal $ocietyofBritish Artists 132nd exhibition, he waselected an RBA member. Over the nextyear or so Worsley was based at eitherBridgnorth or London and seems to havemade at least one visit back to Swiuerland~If\d Italy during autumn, painting aroundLakes Garda and Maggiore.

He also spent severaIweeks painting inCumberland, the Lake District and theSouth of England.Many of the studieshe made provided the inspiradon for the

Poole Harbour and Browilsca Island Dorset

paintings he exhibited after his return roNew Zealand.

Worsley and his wife returned early in1911. By 1911 most review commentsabout his work were more critical thanthey had been a decade earlier but therewere exceptions. The reviewer of theNZAFA exhibirion in the 10 October

issue of 'The Triad' was enthusiilstic. HewrOte

"Mr Worsley has come back toNew Zealand with renewed vigourunspoiled by the titular distinction at thehands of British Society."

Over the next few years Worsley livedin Auckland and continued to show hiswork nationally at art society exhibitions.In 1916 he offered to gift, the watercolour'Mt Sefron' (cat No 7), to the CanterburySociety ofArts if itcould raise one hundredpounds for the war effort. They weresuccessful and the work became pilrt oftheir collection. Around 1919 Worsley

and his wife left NewZealand for Australiabut within a year wereon their way back toBritain travelling viaHobart and Capetown.During 1921 and 1922Worsley often paintedin the south west ofEngland and visitedEurope. He also sentwork back to NewZealand and Ausrrnliafor exhibition. InFebruary t 923 theSunderland Public ArtGallery held anexhibition of 25Worsley watercolours.

This was well received and a purchase wasmade for the Royal collection by QueenMary.

Shortly after the exhibition closedWorsley travelled ro Northern Italy andwhile staying at Brescia he developedbronchial pneumonia which proved fatal.He died on 25 April.

The Robert McDougall Art Gallery would like to thank The Aigamighe Art Gallety,Timaru; Bishop Suler Art Gallery, Nelson, and Mrs Best and Mr Fisher for making worksavailable on loan. DiIU The Hobert McDouffJll Art Ganery.

ISBN 0-908874·21·9 II II Art Gallery of the city of Christchurch,

00 New Zealand.1.

+CHRONOLOGY

13 LakeMaggiorewatercolour 245 x 753mmCanterbury Society of Ans collectionChristchurch

14 1909 SkelchbookPrivate Collection Christchurch

10 Lyttelton Harbour c1908watercolour 292 x 492mmRobert McDougall An GallerycollectionPresented by the Impcriallnstitute1932

11 Riva Lago di Garda, Italywatercolour 745 x 1240mmPrivate collection Christchurch

12 Lago di Gardawatercolour 754 x 1260mmAigantighe Art Gallery collectionTirnaru

+CATALOGUEBerne Switzerland 1892watcrcolour 354 x 524mmRobert McDougall Art GallerycollectionPresented by the Canterbury Societyof Am 1932

2 A Sunlit Street in Spain c1897watercolour 762 x 560mmBishop Suter Art Gallery collectionNelson

3 After Mass Majorca c1900watercolour 1251 x 748mmPresented by the family of JamesJamieson 1932

4 On the Dart River cl902watercolour 762 x 5JJrnmBishop Suter Art Gallery collectionNelson

5 Manawanui Ncar Milford Soundcl903oil on canvas 800 x 1193mmBishop Suter Art Gallery collectionNelson

6 Mr Sefton from Foliage Hill cl905warercolOllT 992 x 665mmRobert McDougall An GallerycollectionPresented by EM Mcmies 1949

7 Mount SeftOn c1905watercolour 996 x 110SmmRobert McDougall Art GallerycollectionPresented by the Canterbury Societyo( ArtS 1932

8 On the Track (rom Granity toMillerton cl905watercolour 745 x 530mmAigantighe An Gallery collectionTimaru

9 Poole Harbour and Brownsca IslandDorset cl905watercolour 725 x 1253mmRobert McDougall An GallerycollectionPresented by H G & A H Amhony1964

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1881·8J188'

1885

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1889-91

1891

1893·95

1896-97

DIaries Nathaniel Worsley is bornat Sidmouth, Devon.Begins ltudies in London 188!.ContillltCs studies In Antwerp.Begins travelling in Europe,Further studies in Paris, Trave!slOSpain, Portugal and Majorca.living in London. Fitzroy Square.Begins exhibiting.Commences exhibiting at the RoyalInstitute for British Artists.FUflher sketching and painting tripsin England and Europe.Begins exhibiting at the RoyalAcademy London 1889, Moves toBridgnonh, Shropshire.Travels during the Summer toSwiuerland, Spain and PonU{lal.Funher travels in Europe exhibitSvariously with the Royal Society ofArtim Birmingham; Walker GalleryLiverpool; Manchester Art Gallery;Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin;Royal Institute of I'ainrerl inwatercolouf Royal Institure o( oi!painters and the Paris Salon.Leaves England with his wife forAustmlia 1896.

1898 Early in the year moves 10 NewZealand. Setdes at Oi500mc andbegins exhibiting with the NewZeal3nd Academy of Fine Arts(NZAFA), Auckland Society of Arts(ASA) and Canterbury Society ofArts (CSA) which purchases 'BerneSwitzerland' (cat No I), for itspermanent collection.

IB99 Moves to live in Wellington. Beginsexhibiti!\!; with the OraIlO ArtSociety (OAS) where he is describedas an 'Australian artist',

\900 VisitS Marlborough Sounds, Pictonand Nelson. Exhibits with theBishopdalc Sketchin/: Club. A workis purchased for the Sutcr AnGallery. Exhibits oils andwatercolOllt$ at the CanterburyJubilee Industrial Exhibition.

1901 Moves to Christchurch to live.Becomes a working member of theCSA, al$O the Royal Art Society ofNew South Wales. A wateroolour ispurchased for the All Gallery of NewSouth Wales colle<:tioll. VisirsOIago and Southland On a sketchingtrip. Travels souch from Bluff on anexcu~ion to the sub anrarcticAuckland and Ma<:qunrie Islands.

1902 Electe<! to the council of the CSA.During the ",mmer visits L"lke.Manap(lUri and Te Anau, walksthrough the Milford Track, MilfordSouth. Also visits Mounr Cook.

190J Elected a member of theChristehurch Savage Club. ExhihitSwith the Wanganui Art Society.

1904 Moves to Nelson to live. Makes asketching trip to WeStland, visitsWestport, Hokitika and Fram Josef.Journeys back to Nellon via OIiraand Christchurch.

1905 Visits Auckland, the Bay of Isbndsand Rotollta.

1906 Moves to Hawkes Bay to live atNapier. Exhibits several works at theNew Zealand InternationalExhibition, Christchurch, and isawarded twO gold medals. VisitsWanganui. Travels up theWanganui River to Pipiriki.

1907-08 Has funher works purchased by theArt Gallery of New South Wates

1909 February leaves on all extended visitto Europe. April, embarks ar Naples,journeys llOllh through Italy to rhe

19[0

19111912-18

1916

19191920-22

1923

TVrol and Swil1!erland, then on toEngland. Over rhe summer Worsleyvisits the Lake Disttict. Paints alsoin southern England. DuringAugust exhibits 'New ZealandViews' in a solo exhibition at TheModem Gallery, London. Arejection of works is later published.October, Worsley is elt<:too amember of the Royal SocietV ofBritish Artists (RBA).Spends lummer months painting inEngland and autumn in Switzcrland.Leaves to return to New Zealandtowards the end of the year.Arrives back in New Zealand.Living in Auckland. Continues toexhibit regularly in New Zealand,Australia and Britain.Worsley presents 'MOI,nt Sefton'(cat No 7l. to the CSA if£100 canbe raised to aid the Red Cross.Moves to Australia.Returns to Britain 1920 via HobartCapetown. Visits Italy andSwillerland.February an exhibition of 25watercolours is held at SunderlandPublic An Gallery. A work ispurchased for the Royal Collectionby Queen Mary. Travels to Italysketching and painting. April 25dies of bronchial pneumonia atBrescia.

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