The following has been supplied by author of 'Landscape Paintings of New Zealand. A Journey from North to South' Christopher Johnstone.

Please note that this text refers to a painting illustrated in 'Landscape Paintings of New Zealand. A Journey from North to South' and not the present painting.

William Allen Born Stroud, England 1894. Died Walthamstow England 1988 Nelson landscape 1936 Oil on canvas 59.0 x 68.5 Presented by Mr F. A. Shurrock 1970 Suter Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatu Reproduced with the kind permission of Tui Frowd As a teenager Allen worked in the drawing office of the Dudbridge Iron Works, supplementing his wage as a violinist in the Stroud Empire Orchestra. After war service he moved to London, taking evening classes at the Putney School of Art. In 1919, he gained a war scholarship to the Royal College of Art where his fellow students included Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. Another was Robert Field who, in 1925, joined Allen and his wife, a cellist, to come to New Zealand, recruited under the La Trobe Scheme to teach art at the King Edward Technical College in Dunedin. In her unpublished memoir based on her father's notes, Tui Frowd records that Allen was considered "charismatic, with a natural aptitude for teaching and a special affinity with the young". She also quotes the sculptor Francis Shurrock comment that "Now there followed a steady stream of landscapes, portraits, figure compositions and also some etchings, engravings and linocuts", but Allen (and Field) were thought too modern by the Otago Art Society. After an unsuccessful attempt to re-establish himself back in England, in 1931, Allen returned to a teach art at Nelson College in 1933. John Caselberg remembers him as a "lithe, genial, bird-bright art teacher". Allen also taught evening classes and, in 1938, a summer school; Toss Woollaston, Rodney Kennedy and Colin McCahon were amongst his students. In 1946, although by now a well-established member of the Nelson and wider art community, he returned to Britain where he continued to teach until his retirement. Allen was a "keen tramper, always with a sketchbook in his pocket, sometimes filling in the colour from memory" once home. Nelson landscape depicts a fairly typical view of the region, probably around Ngatimoti or Dovedale, near the Motueka River. The painting was exhibited in the Centennial Exhibition in 1939-40. The painting was a gift from Allen to Francis Shurrock, the sculptor, who Allen met in Christchurch in 1926 and who became a lifelong friend. Shurrock wrote an article on Allen for Art in New Zealand (September 1940). [Quotes] "The word "art" does not occur in the mind as much as the thing "nature", which means that art is there, but as a good servant, not as a bad master. All these works bear an air of serenity. They are all serious but not sad or solemn. Indeed there is a sense of cheerfulness about all them which is inherent rather than noticeable, and that is as it should be, for Allen himself is a cheerful soul with a faith that is strong and enduring" "There are no tricks of brushwork, colour or design, and the fundamental value of forms is always fully realised. There is no stumbling: all is cool, steady, strong and colourful." "Allen has never joined in the struggle for a place on any elevated platform, nor has he succumbed to the temptation to be fashionable, though his paintings and other works are well fashioned". "Mr Allen works in a formal manner, not in the romantic, and in this is like so many post-war painters".  the artist, was presented to the Suter Gallery by () quote: [also in 200 years]. The painting was a gift to Shurrock. The painting was exhibited in the Centennial Exhibition of 1939-40. "The word "art" does not occur in the mind as much as the thing "nature", which means that art is there, but as a good servant, not as a bad master. All these works bear an air of serenity. They are all serious but not sad or solemn. Indeed there is a sense of cheerfulness about all them which is inherent rather than noticeable, and that is as it should be, for Allen himself is a cheerful soul with a faith that is strong and enduring" "Mr Allen works in a formal manner, not in the romantic, and in this is like so many post-war painters". Francis Shurrock, "W H Allen" in Art in New Zealand, September 1940 Tui Frowd, the artist's daughter Quoted by Ross Fraser in Robert Nettleton Field in Art New Zealand No 19, Autumn 1981 Following graduation in 1922, Allen assisted his former Professor Gerald Moira and Professor Robert Anning Bell on various projects in London and Edinburgh before, . Allen's parents were tailors but his father was also a professional musician and Allen could well have chosen music as his career. As a teenager he studied part-time at Stroud School of Sciences and Art and then worked in the drawing office of the Dudbridge Iron Works, supplementing his wage as a violinist in the Stroud Empire Orchestra. In 1914 he decided to go to art school but was in the army by the end of the year until he was invalided out in 1917 and rejoined his old firm, which was now making equipment for the navy. In 1918 he moved to London, taking evening classes at the Putney School of Art until 1919 when he gained a war scholarship to the Royal College of Art where Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth were fellow students, along with Roland Hipkins and Bob (RN) Field who were both to end up in New Zealand. Following his graduation in 1922, Allen assisted his former Professor Gerald Moira and Professor Robert Anning Bell on various projects in London and Edinburgh. In 1925 Allen - and his wife, a cellist - and Bob Field, travelled to New Zealand, having been recruited under the Latrobe Scheme to teach art at the King Edward Technical College in Dunedin. Allen was considered to be "charismatic, with a natural aptitude for teaching and a special affinity with the young". After unsuccessfully trying to re-establish himself back in England 1931-3, Allen returned to a teach art at Nelson College. He also taught evening classes and, in 1938, a summer school; Toss Woollaston, Rodney Kennedy and Colin McCahon were amongst his students. In 1946, although by now a well-established member of the Nelson and wider New Zealand art community, he returned to Britain where he continued to teach until his retirement. 1st draft Allen's parents were tailors but his father was also a professional musician. As a teenager Allen worked in the drawing office of the Dudbridge Iron Works, supplementing his wage as a violinist in the Stroud Empire Orchestra. He joined the army in 1914 and was invalided out in 1917, rejoining his old firm now part of the war effort. In 1918 he moved to London to work, taking evening classes at the Putney School of Art until 1919 when he gained a war scholarship to the Royal College of Art. Fellow RCA students were Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Roland Hipkins and Bob (RN) Field who were both to end up in New Zealand. Following his graduation in 1922, Allen assisted his former Professor Gerald Moira and Professor Robert Anning Bell on various projects in London and Edinburgh. In 1925 Allen - and his wife, a cellist - and Bob Field, travelled to New Zealand, having been recruited under the Latrobe Scheme to teach art at the King Edward Technical College in Dunedin where Allen was considered to be "charismatic, with a natural aptitude for teaching and a special affinity with the young". However, they were considered too modern by the Otago Art Society. After unsuccessfully trying to re-establish himself back in England 1931-3, Allen returned to a teach art at Nelson College. He also taught evening classes and, in 1938, a summer school; Toss Woollaston, Rodney Kennedy and Colin McCahon were amongst his students. In 1946, although by now a well-established member of the Nelson and wider New Zealand art community, he returned to Britain where he continued to teach until his retirement. Allen was a "keen tramper, always with a sketchbook in his pocket, sometimes filling in the colour from memory" once home. Nelson landscape depicts a fairly typical view of the region, probably around Ngatimoti or Dovedale, near the Motueka River. The painting was presented to the Suter Gallery by Francis Shurrock, the sculptor, who Allen met in Christchurch in 1926 and who became a lifelong friend. by the lithe, genial, bird-bright art teacher, W.H. Allen - 'Fungus' we called him - whose shared enthusiasms and voluble discussions, especially after World War II began, enlivened four or five of those long years. Art NZ Havens for Art  Shurrock DNDN "Now there followed a steady stream of landscapes, portraits, figure compositions and also some etchings, engravings and linocuts". "There are no tricks of brushwork, colour or design, and the fundamental value of forms is always fully realised. There is no stumbling: all is cool, steady, strong and colourful." "Allen has never joined in the struggle for a place on any elevated platform, nor has he succumbed to the temptation to be fashionable, though his paintings and other works are well fashioned". "Mr Allen works in a formal manner, not in the romantic, and in this is like so many post-war painters". "The word "art" does not occur in the mind as much as the thing "nature", which means that art is there, but as a good servant, not as a bad master. All these works bear an air of serenity. They are all serious but not sad or solemn. Indeed there is a sense of cheerfulness about all them which is inherent rather than noticeable, and that is as it should be, for Allen himself is a cheerful soul with a faith that is strong and enduring"

CHRISTOPHER JOHNSTONE