Raymond McIntyre is one of the most distinguished expatriate New Zealand painters of the early twentieth century. Frustrated by New Zealand’s limited art scene at the time he left New Zealand in 1909 aged 30 to pursue a career in London and never returned.
While in London he developed a reputation for his small, pared-back landscapes, studies of female heads and portraits painted in an elegant, simplified Japanese woodblock inspired style. Whilst some of the sitters are known, McIntyre restricted the particulars of individual likeness to create a more idealised image. Features like the hat and hair are seen for their tonal and design qualities at the expense of characterization.
The beauty McIntyre sought in all his works is of a pure and delicate nature, greatly dependant on a balanced design, simplicity, completeness, and harmony.
Curated by Brian Wood
