Library Subject Guides

Art: Art and Achival Collections

New - Architectural Drawing Subject Guide

UC Art Collection

An artwork by Rita Angus used as a link to the UC Art Collection. Image credit: Rita Angus, Untitled [Mountain Biological Station, Cass], 1936, watercolour on paper, Accession Number UC-APC-1170. Macmillan Brown Library, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Image credit: Rita Angus, Untitled [Mountain Biological Station, Cass], 1936, watercolourUC-APC-1170.

Archival Collections

Archives are freely available for use by students and staff of the University of Canterbury through the Macmillan Brown Library.  For more information about accessing archives please contact Macmillan Brown Library staff at macbrown@libr.canterbury.ac.nz.

A selection of archival collections available which may be of interest to researchers of Fine Arts and Art History include:

  • MB 2324  School of Fine Arts Rudi Gopas material c1975-1976

Miscellaneous material found in the School of Fine Arts Library relating to Rudi Gopas who taught at the SFA

  • MB 2023  Leo Bensemann illustrations 1912-1988

Leo Bensemann illustrations and card

  • MB 314  Leo Bensemann papers

Bensemann’s involvement in the world of art and publishing is well documented in this collection of material. A large range of correspondence, notes; together with material related to the Caxton Press, Landfall & Ascent are present, as are personal letters and cards. Bensemann visited the German branch of this family and many notes and items relate to their businesses

  • MB 76 Sophie Garland Allan papers 1930-1931

24 art originals, pencil on paper 38 x 55cm or 25 x 31cm. The drawings are abstract designs and are contained in one large and one small drawing book. The drawings are represented as having been received from 'Caxo, Priest of the Temple of Isis' through the medium of Sophie Garland Allan

  • MB 193 New Zealand Society of Painters and Sculptors records 1970s

Minutes

  • MB 194 W S Baverstock c1920-1960

Papers relating to the Akaroa Coronation Library, 'The Group' and the Akaroa Literary Institute

  • MB 198 Barbara Brooke, Gallery 91, Brooke-Gifford Gallery and ‘Ascent’ papers 1958-1982

Barbara Brooke, with her husband Andre Brooke, established the dealer gallery, Gallery 91, in Christchurch in 1958. The gallery closed in 1959. In 1975 she established, with Judith Gifford, the Brooke-Gifford Gallery. She was also joint editor, with Leo Bensemann, of 'Ascent', a journal of the arts in New Zealand, which was published by the Caxton Press from 1867-1969

  • MB 888 Peter Ireland papers 1980

'Photography art and realism: a problem or perception: a person view' [manuscript] by Peter Ireland. 57 leaves, 30 cm

  • MB 737  Peter Ireland papers 1987

Catalogue of the artist's work numbered 1 (1959/60) to 478 (1987)

  • MB 1349 Audrey Black papers 1936-1942

The artwork of Audrey Black consisting of 1 book, 2 large art folders and 2 small art folders

  • MB 773 Peter Ireland manuscript 1992

Twenty Years: Painting: 1972-1992: January 22 - February 16, 1992. Photocopy [in colour] of original manuscript exhibition catalogue. At head of the title: Gisborne Museum and Arts Centre

  • MB 1849 Leo Bensemann correspondence 1946

Letter from Otago Centennial Historical Committee, letter from Fielding Agricultural High School referring to a portrait of L J Wild

  • MB 1841 Vice-Chancellors Working Party on the Art Collection Report 2001

Vice-Chancellors Working Party on the Art Collection report. 19 Oct 2001

  • MB 2150 Canterbury College miscellanea c1875-1973

Photographs, drawings and papers dating from the 1870s to the 1970s

  • MB 1227 Jean Bryden-Dick watercolour 1907-1970

Painting representing land where the Macmillan Brown Library now sits; booklet of postcards relating to the 1907 New Zealand exhibition

  • MB 504  Peter Ireland papers 1999

Photographs of new workspace building

  • MB 2008.23 Tony Formison papers c1940-1989

Material relating to Maori, peace, environmental activism and the arts. Includes field notebooks of Canterbury Maori rock art

  • MB 51 Willliam Sykes Baverstock papers 1912-1970

Documents, press cuttings and other materials relating to the creator's artistic, social and political interests

  • MB 527 The Physics Room records 1990s

Administrative material, correspondence, photographs, exhibition and project files

  • MB 2184 Nola Brown papers c1961-1991

Minutes, photographs, correspondence and miscellanea especially relating to 'The Group'

  • MB 2334 School of Fine Arts posters 1980s

6 rolled publicity posters from the UC School of Fine Arts

  • MB 2298 University of Canterbury, School of Fine Arts records 1932-1975

Papers reflecting Professor Simpson's work with the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts

  • MB 1409 Art lectures

Art lectures delivered at Canterbury College by John Macmillan Brown 

  • MB 1397 W S Baverstock papers and records

Baverstock was Secretary of the Canterbury Society of Arts, Part- time Curator of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery from 1943 to 1960 and Director (full time) of the McDougall Art Gallery from 1960 to c.1970

  • MB 1407 Mary Bensemann papers 1951-1974

Sculpture, Christmas cards, pendant, graphic works, photographs and Broadsheet

  • MB 1292 Mark Stocker papers 1964-1966

Designs for reverse of 10 cent coin New Zealand decimal currency

  • MB 2114 University of Canterbury, School of Fine Arts records 1882-2001

The collection comprises material relating to the history and academic programmes of the School of Fine Arts at both the inner city site and its later move to Ilam. Ranging in content from registers, art works, photography, published works, audio & video tapes, minute books and indices, the collection is wide ranging and has been previously catalogued around 1991. Original cataloguing details have been recorded in the inventory where known

  • MB 2091 Off the Wall project documents 2008

Typescripts of a series of lunchtime talks given by postgraduate students from the School of Fine Arts on works of art at the University of Canterbury