JOHN GULLY (1819 - 1888)

John Gully  was a popular colonial watercolourist who exhibited throughout Europe and the British Commonwealth. During his lifetime his works were celebrated, both in New Zealand and overseas, for their technical brilliance and romantic style.  In his later life, Gully's work was criticised for its sentimental and idealised portrayal of the New Zealand landscape. Today he is recognised as a leading artist in early New Zealand painting and pioneering figure in Nelson's art history.

Born in Bath, England, Gully’s natural drawing talent appears to have been recognised early, although he received little formal tuition. He developed a career in banking and accountancy before emigrating to New Zealand with his family in 1852. He settled in Taranaki and quickly discovered he was no farmer. While in Taranaki Gully completed some commissioned works, mainly of homesteads, and developed a life long friendship with fellow watercolourist James Crowe Richmond (1822 - 1898).

The Taranaki Land Wars necessitated an escape to Nelson in 1860 and after a short period as drawing master at Nelson College, Gully was appointed provincial draughtsman and surveyor under Richmond. This position allowed Gully to travel around the Nelson region and his sketchbook was a constant companion. He also took commissions from several different surveyors during this period, including Julius von Haast. He completed twelve paintings of the Southern Alps to illustrate Haast’s 1864 lecture to the Royal Geography Society, London. These paintings were important in establishing his reputation as an artist. This reputation was further consolidated with Gully’s entries to the 1865 New Zealand Exhibition in Dunedin where he received a silver medal. Soon after his work was exhibited in the Intercolonial Exhibition of Australasia in Melbourne in 1866-67 and he began to sell overseas.

It was not until his retirement in the late 1870s that Gully began to travel and paint more extensively. In 1874 he was invited to sail to Fiordland with the governor, Sir James Fergusson. His diary tells of his enjoyment of the good company, food, wine and music, while his sketch book attests to the time spent studying the scenery. Gully returned down South in 1877 to sketch in and around Fiordland and the Central Otago Lakes District.

The majority of Gully’s paintings in The Suter’s permanent collection date from this period of retirement and before his death in 1888. He developed a friendship with Bishop Andrew Burn Suter who collected a substantial amount of his work. This collection was part of the original bequest and nucleus of The Suter Art Gallery’s collection. Bishop Suter also led a movement in 1884 for the City of Nelson to commission a painting. The subject was left to Gully's discretion and he completed Western Coast of Tasman Bay in 1885. This painting, along with others was then exhibited at the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition 1885, Wellington, where it won 1st prize for landscape painting in watercolours, silver medal, and the Colonial and Indian Exhibition 1886, London (Colinderies), where Gully recieved a commemorative medal and certificate.

Image captions (in order of appearance):

Western Coast of Tasman Bay 1885.  Watercolour on paper 750 x 1320 mm.  Purchased by public subscription in 1885 as the first painting of a public art collection in Nelson.

Cable Bay from Maori Pa 1882.  Watercolour on paper 627 x 827 mm.  The Bishop Suter Art Gallery Founding Donation, gifted by Mrs Amelia Suter in memory of her husband Bishop Andrew Burn Suter in 1895.

Bishopdale in 1874 1874.  Watercolour on paper 272 x 412 mm.  The Bishop Suter Art Gallery Founding Donation, gifted by Mrs Amelia Suter in memory of her husband Bishop Andrew Burn Suter in 1895.

Motueka from the Riwaka Hills 1888.  Watercolour on paper 327 x 471 mm.  The Bishop Suter Art Gallery Founding Donation, gifted by Mrs Amelia Suter in memory of her husband Bishop Andrew Burn Suter in 1895.

Mountain Heights.  Watercolour on paper 411 x 608 mm.  Bequeathed by Mr and Mrs S.B. White in 1928.

First Signal Station, Port Nelson.  Watercolour on paper 230 x 329 mm.  Presented by Miss Hilda Small in 1968.

Lake Manapouri 1887.  Watercolour on paper 350 x 612 mm.  Presented by Mrs J.H. Cock in 1922.

Kaikoura 1884.  Watercolour on paper 722 x 1310 mm.  The Bishop Suter Art Gallery Founding Donation, gifted by Mrs Amelia Suter in memory of her husband Bishop Andrew Burn Suter in 1895.

Site Rescene 10 Sept - 16 Oct 2011
Site Rescene was an exhibition that featured The Suter's entire John Gully collection alongside responses by regional artists.