Art is an integral part of Wanganui history and has found its way into many areas of the Whanganui Regional Museum. Amongst the Museum’s art collection is a sampling of locally executed work by Cranleigh Barton, a talented watercolour painter.
“He trained as a lawyer but was a very adept artist,'' she says. “In his middle age he gave up the law and painted full time. He was prolific and he has paintings and collections all over New Zealand.''
But that's not his only claim to fame. His mother's grandfather was the Rev Richard Taylor and the museum has a large Taylor collection, courtesy of Cranleigh Barton.
“Cranleigh was a proud genealogist,'' says Libby, “forever interested in his family history. He collected a lot of material.'' Although he did not live here, he was a member of the Wanganui Historical Society and was actively involved in researching local history and promoting Wanganui; “So much so that he donated his large collection of Taylor material to the Historical Society. In 1999, the society closed down and its collection came to the museum. They had broad interests and left us an interesting collection, which incorporates the Cranleigh Barton collection and, in particular, a couple of important sketchbooks and notebooks of Richard Taylor himself.''
Cranleigh Harper Barton was born in Feilding in 1890, where his father was manager of the Bank of Australasia. He gained his degree from Victoria University in 1912, having first passed his solicitors' final in 1910. His interest in art and his artistic ability were well established by then, having attended art classes at Wellington Technical School under Maud Kimball, later Maud Sherwood, a noted Sydney artist. In 1924 Barton undertook art studies at the Slade School in London, intending to study for a year and resume legal practice in New Zealand. However, he was persuaded to stay in London for four years, during which time he exhibited twice at the Graham Gallery in Bond St. One of the exhibitions was attended by Queen Mary who bought two of his paintings. Other successes were incentive enough to take up painting as a profession.
“He was erudite, he was communicative and he had a huge circle of friends he wrote to,'' says Libby. His life, therefore was well documented.
So why did Libby choose Mr Barton to talk about? “I'm interested in the amateur side of historical art and in 2008 I knew there was this big collection here and at long last I had to pay attention to it because we were valuing the paintings, drawings and prints. We've got about 140 pieces and a lot of it is ecclesiastical art. He loved painting houses and he had a strong affiliation with Whanganui, but he worked in Venice and Rome and all over.''
Cranleigh Barton travelled widely and painted wherever he went, much as a modern tourist would take photographs. Paintings of the large abbeys and cathedrals of Europe abound, as well as a large amount of work from the Pacific. He favoured a course, fibrous paper for his work which, as Libby points out, must influence the textural quality of his painting. Postcard perfect in their perspective, much of his work is almost feminine in subject, colour and execution.
Many paintings are valued as historical documents. “I believe he was both recording and producing a work of art,'' says Libby.
He died in Christchurch in 1975.
Original article appeared in the 'Wanganui Midweek on 19th September 2012, and republished here with permission from the editors.
