Legacy, an exhibition of British royal portraiture at the Sarjeant Gallery, is a must see for Wanganui residents, says gallery curator Greg Anderson.
Government House in Wellington has been home to a distinguished collection of 12 royal portraits donated by New Zealand's then Governor-General Lord Willoughby Norrie in 1957.
When Government Housewas closed for refurbishment in 2008, the works were released for public exhibition in a touring show that brought together royal portraiture from throughout New Zealand.
Lord Norrie also donated works to the Auckland City Gallery, Bleinhem Borough Council and other private collections, many of which are on display in the Legacy exhibition.
Only three venues in New Zealand will host the exhibition. The collection first featured at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington and will travel from Wanganui to the Tairawhiti Museum in Gisborne in February.
An exhibition of 30 portraits spanning 400 years of British sovereigns, including Henry VIII and Queen Victoria, it is an opportunity for New Zealanders to view an intriguing collection of historical artefacts, said Mr Anderson.
"As a former sovereign colony, New Zealand is an interesting context in which to view the work," he said. "The younger generations will approach the work differently to those of older generations, who may still feel some kinship with the monarchy.
"It is this difference of meaning between people that makes their display so interesting, especially in a place like Wanganui."
Mr Anderson is excited the Sarjeant Gallery acquired such a "prestigious exhibition".
The Sarjeant Gallery, built in 1919, is the perfect venue for works of this kind, he said.
Because of the scarcity of works of this calibre and age, and the logistics of transporting and housing them, this is a rare opportunity for a provincial art gallery he said.
"Wanganui is very lucky to have such an important art gallery," he said. "It is a wonderful testament to our community that we can house the contemporary and the historical in one beautiful purpose-built space and share our cultural history with the public."
Anderson hopes the works will appeal to all members of the public as beautiful objects and as an educational narrative about colonial history and the evolution of portrait painting from the 16th to the 20th century.
The exhibition runs until February 4.
