A Tale to Tell: Narrative Paintings from the Collection

A Tale to Tell: Narrative Paintings from the Collection

Exhibition Details

Following the popular Love and Death: Art in the age of Queen Victoria exhibition in 2003, the Gallery is highlighting its own Victorian collection in A Tale to Tell.

Long after Victorian art went out of fashion in England it remained popular in the colonies. As social commentary it may well have reflected idealised memories of a society that had been left behind by immigrants to new lands.

While 19th century painters loved to depict a moment in a narrative drawn from history, literature or the society of their own time, equally the overriding themes of yearning and desire underlying so many of these images speak of a social need for an aesthetic experience that exists beyond the familiar world of everyday life.

Date
Curated by
Mary Kisler
Location
Main Gallery
Cost
Free entry

Related Artworks

View Artwork

Not on display

The Day of Sedgemoor
The Day of Sedgemoor

Edgar Bundy

Production date
circa 1907
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1511 x 1511 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1921
Accession no
M1921/1/7
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Not on display

For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven
For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven

Frank Bramley

Production date
1891
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
2166 x 2872 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1913
Accession no
M1913/1
View Artwork

Not on display

The First Commission: Sir Thos. Lawrence, President of the R.A., as a Boy
The First Commission: Sir Thos. Lawrence, President of the R.A., as a Boy

Margaret Dicksee

Production date
circa 1901
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
914 x 1295 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/40
View Artwork

Not on display

Memories
Memories

John Godward

Production date
1892
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1276 x 870 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of the late James H Coleman, 1929
Accession no
1929/2/4
View Artwork

Not on display

Arrival of the Maoris in New Zealand
Arrival of the Maoris in New Zealand

Louis John Steele Charles F Goldie

Production date
1899
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1758 x 2825 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of the late George and Helen Boyd, 1899
Accession no
1899/2/2
View Artwork

Not on display

The Finding of Moses
The Finding of Moses

Frederick Goodall

Production date
Unknown
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
2438 x 1829 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/55
View Artwork

Not on display

The Spirit of the Summit
The Spirit of the Summit

Frederic Leighton

Production date
1894
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
2291 x 1319 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Moss Davis, 1926
Accession no
1926/4
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Not on display

Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind
Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind

John Everett Millais

Production date
1892
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1270 x 1740 x 83 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Moss Davis, 1933
Accession no
1933/1/3
View Artwork

Not on display

Still on Top
Still on Top

James Tissot

Production date
circa 1873
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
876 x 533 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Viscount Leverhulme, 1921
Accession no
1921/2
View Artwork

Not on display

Lamia
Lamia

John Waterhouse

Production date
1905
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1447 x 902 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Moss Davis, 1930
Accession no
1930/18/1
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Not on display

Egyptians 3,000 years ago
Egyptians 3,000 years ago

Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Production date
1863
Medium
oil on panel
Size (h x w)
995 x 1250 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1921
Accession no
M1921/1/3
View Artwork

Not on display

The Spirit of Justice
The Spirit of Justice

Daniel Maclise

Production date
1850
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
2591 x 1524 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of James Tannock Mackelvie, 1881
Accession no
M1881/1/1
View Artwork

Not on display

Melittion
Melittion

Frederic Leighton

Production date
1882
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1219 x 914 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Moss Davis, 1927
Accession no
1927/2/1
View Artwork

On display

The Catapult
The Catapult

William Reid Dick

On display

Production date
1911
Medium
bronze
Size (h x w)
676 x 410 x 268 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1926
Accession no
1926/2/3
View Artwork

On display

Youth
Youth

Harold Youngman

On display

Production date
Unknown
Medium
bronze
Size (h x w)
750 x 290 x 306 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1926
Accession no
1926/2/2
Youth

Harold Youngman

On display

View Artwork

On display

Pope Makes Love To Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
Pope Makes Love To Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

William Frith

On display

Production date
1852
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1180 x 942 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Sir Frank Mappin, 1974
Accession no
1974/59
View Artwork

Not on display

In Time of Peril
In Time of Peril

Edmund Blair Leighton

Production date
1897
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1245 x 1689 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/81
View Artwork

Not on display

Legend of Sir Patrick Spens
Legend of Sir Patrick Spens

James Archer

Production date
1870
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1156 x 2089 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/6
View Artwork

Not on display

Cleopatra
Cleopatra

Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Production date
Oct 1877
Medium
oil on panel
Size (h x w)
445 x 460 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1916
Accession no
MU/5
View Artwork

Not on display

The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat
The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat

John Weguelin

Production date
1886
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
994 x 1425 x 85 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/147
View Artwork

Not on display

Fishing
Fishing

Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Production date
1875
Medium
watercolour
Size (h x w)
252 x 458 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Mr F J Nettlefold, 1948
Accession no
1948/14/2
View Artwork

Not on display

After the Earthquake
After the Earthquake

Sophie Anderson

Production date
1884
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
819 x 1384 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Viscount Leverhulme, 1924
Accession no
1924/5/6
View Artwork

Not on display

Highland Shepherd
Highland Shepherd

Richard Ansdell

Production date
1864
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
835 x 1951 x 66 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, bequest of Mr William Elliot, 1941
Accession no
1941/3/3
View Artwork

Not on display

Blind Beggar of Assisi
Blind Beggar of Assisi

Edward Armitage

Production date
Unknown
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
473 x 373 x 50 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, bequest of James Tannock Mackelvie, 1885
Accession no
M1885/1/75
View Artwork

Not on display

The Poet Chatterton
The Poet Chatterton

John Joseph Barker

Production date
1860
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
355 x 457 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Sir George Grey 1887
Accession no
1887/1/3
View Artwork

Not on display

The May Weed
The May Weed

William Bartlett

Production date
1895
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
748 x 1222 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/15
View Artwork

Not on display

Asleep
Asleep

Samuel Melton Fisher

Production date
1902
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
560 x 785 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/47
View Artwork

On display

A Sketch: The Proposal
A Sketch: The Proposal

William Frith

On display

Production date
Unknown
Medium
oil on cardboard
Size (h x w)
489 x 489 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, bequest of James Tannock Mackelvie, 1885
Accession no
M1885/1/81
View Artwork

Not on display

Afternoon Coffee, Venice
Afternoon Coffee, Venice

Cecil van Haanen

Production date
1883
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1555 x 1225 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/143
View Artwork

Not on display

Grace
Grace

John Everett Millais

Production date
1891
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1422 x 889 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1925
Accession no
M1925/1
View Artwork

Not on display

Sweethearts and Wives
Sweethearts and Wives

Philip Morris

Production date
Unknown
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1245 x 2006 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/102
View Artwork

Not on display

Androcles and the Lion
Androcles and the Lion

Briton Riviere

Production date
1908
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1320 x 1100 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of the artist, 1915
Accession no
1915/3
View Artwork

Not on display

A Sabine Woman
A Sabine Woman

Alexander Roche

Production date
circa 1894
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
724 x 620 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
MU/126
View Artwork

Not on display

Female Head in Profile
Female Head in Profile

Dante Rossetti

Production date
circa 1850-1860?
Medium
red chalk
Size (h x w)
394 x 302 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1956
Accession no
1956/2/13
View Artwork

On display

Married
Married

Walter Sadler

On display

Production date
1896
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1276 x 971 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
M1913/4
Married

Walter Sadler

On display

View Artwork

On display

Her First Love Letter
Her First Love Letter

Marcus Stone

On display

Production date
1889
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
1100 x 1683 x 60 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Moss Davis, 1930
Accession no
1930/2/1
View Artwork

Not on display

Soiree D'Ete (Summer Evening)
Soiree D'Ete (Summer Evening)

James Tissot

Production date
1881
Medium
drypoint
Size (h x w)
322 x 494 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1972
Accession no
1972/4
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Not on display

Octobre (October)
Octobre (October)

James Tissot

Production date
1878
Medium
etching and drypoint
Size (h x w)
832 x 548 x 28 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2002
Accession no
2002/15
View Artwork

Not on display

Brighton
Brighton

James Webb Charles Earle

Production date
Unknown
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
546 x 1276 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
M1883/1/3
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Not on display

The Proposal (Reflections in Shadows)
The Proposal (Reflections in Shadows)

Alfred Woolmer

Production date
circa 1875
Medium
oil on canvas
Size (h x w)
355 x 238 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, bequest of James Tannock Mackelvie, 1885
Accession no
M1885/1/29