New Lindauer book launched
When Woodville celebrated its centennial in 1975, Kevin McIntyre, who was on the organising committee, first became aware of artist Gottfried Lindauer.
Lindauer had spent the last 36 years of his life from 1890 living in the town, producing paintings, predominantly portraits of Europeans and Ma¯ ori in his studio on Pinfold Road, creating a remarkable historical record of early New Zealand.
Twenty-five years on when a Lindauer replica studio was being built in Woodville, Kevin and wife Joan decided to source original portraits to photograph.
This challenge has taken them all around New Zealand and Australia, and to the Czech Republic where Lindauer spent his early years.
Their research has recognised 448 paintings of publicly known works, private family commissions and 115 works which were previously publicly unknown.
A year ago Kevin and Joan decided to publish their findings and after a huge amount of work the official launch of their book Gottfried Lindauer Life of the Artist and His Works will take place in Whanganui on September 7.
Its 260 pages — 180 of them in colour — have almost 400 portraits with a comprehensive description of Lindauer’s early life in the Czech Republic and his later life in New Zealand.
Speaking at the Dannevirke Probus meeting on Wednesday August 7, Kevin said that having completed most of the research there were times when he wished he had not started the book as it had been so much work.
But standing before an audience with a copy in his hands was a proud moment.
The photos are very clear — Kevin has a UCOL Diploma in photography — especially given the deteriorating state of some of the originals.
The historical content is also comprehensive.
Joan delved into a huge range of resources and the book is written in a readable style,
The timeline of Lindauer’s life at the back is detailed, listing when each of the paintings were created and where they are currently kept and indices for easy reference.
A copy of Gottfried Lindauer Life of the Artist and His Works costs $115 plus $15 for packaging and postage.