City Scene - October 2000: Masters’ work in city

October 2000

Positive Outlook

Policing In The Community

Mastersā€™ Work In City

xChange Files ā€” All Is About To Be Revealed

Artist Gives Glimpse Of Chalice

Masters’ work in city

A Witches’ sabbath — Jacob de Gheyn II

Head of Guiliano de’Medici (after Michelangelo) — Jacopo Tintoretto.

The connection between King Henry VIII, Michelangelo and our city, Christchurch, is one of many tales associated with Robert McDougall Art Gallery's major summer exhibition, Treasures From Christ Church, Oxford, Old Master drawings and rare works in precious metals.

To help celebrate Canterbury's 150 years, the Robert McDougall will present the first original drawings by Michelangelo, Raphael, Rubens, Tintoretto and other Renaissance Masters ever to visit New Zealand shores.

The exhibition, which opens this week, has been four years in the making and is a major coup for Christchurch, as it will be the only venue in the world for the exhibition. Also, it will be the last touring show in the Robert McDougall as it scales down operations to prepare for the new gallery.

Christ Church College, in Oxford, has one of the largest collections of Old Master drawings in the United Kingdom, and two of its members established the Canterbury Association (in 1848).

Entry to the exhibition is by gold coin donation. The Community Trust has been generous in helping make entry by donation possible, as were other sponsors, Mr and Mrs Adriaan Tasman and AMI Insurance Ltd. A programme of weekly talks, lectures and films will accompany the exhibition, which finishes on 18 February.