Rita Angus: An Artist's Life

Rita Angus: An Artist's Life by Jill Trevelyan. New Zealand's renowned and award-winning artist's revised biography.

Look Inside Rita Angus: An Artist's Life

Jill Trevelyan's acclaimed biography earned her the Non-Fiction Award at the 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards. This revised edition, now back in circulation, provides fresh insights into the life of Rita Angus, a prominent 20th-century New Zealand artist. The updated content includes new evaluations of Angus and her significance in the Rita Angus exhibition scheduled at Te Papa later in 2021.

Rita Angus, a trailblazer in modern painting during the 1930s and 1940s, continues to capture national attention with iconic pieces like Rutu (1951), Central Otago (1940), and Portrait of Betty Curnow (1941–1942), over a century after her birth. Prior to this enlightening book, Angus's life remained largely obscure, even as she earned the admiration of New Zealanders as a beloved painter.

Author Jill Trevelyan follows Angus's journey from her early years in Napier and Palmerston North to her passing in Wellington in 1970. Drawing from extensive archives and correspondence, Trevelyan vividly portrays Rita Angus as a highly articulate and spirited individual. The book unveils Angus's intellectual curiosity, unreserved expressions of her attitudes and emotions, steadfast commitment to pacifist and feminist ideals, and her unwavering dedication to her artistic pursuits.

Illustrated with over 150 artworks and personal photographs, "Rita Angus: An Artist's Life" intricately reveals Angus's intricate private struggles, her public reputation, and her most enduring legacy – her art.

448 Pages

Published in April 2021