Treasures in Trust

12 June - 3 August 1997

Organised to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Treasures in Trust is a major touring exhibition of almost 100 significant historical works, objects and artifacts from the Library's collection. Featured are oil and watercolour paintings, illuminated manuscripts and rare books, maps and photographs representing several major events in the history of this nation.

The earliest image of the Pacific dated 1603, is a beautiful hand-coloured journal illustrating the South American Spanish territories. This is joined by a number of 19th century Maori portraits and landscape paintings by early explorers and colonial artists such as James Barry, Augustus Earle, William Fox, Claus Edward Fristrom, Charles Heaphy and William Strutt. Cyprian Bridge's watercolours of pas and fortifications sketched during the 1860 Land Wars and vintage photographs of the Rotomahana district taken soon after the eruption of Mount Tarawera also give a fascinating insight into earlier times.

Treasures in Trust also includes some of the finest examples from the Turnbull Library's collection of illuminated manuscripts and rare books. The oldest complete manuscript in New Zealand Boethius' De Musica, with its exquisite diagrams decorated with whimsical animal motifs, and the 1500 Dijon book of Hours are included in this group. There are also a number of fascinating curiosities such as a knife and fork from Cook's ship Endeavour and Katherine Mansfield's typewriter.

In 1918, when Alexander Turnbull died, his collection of some 55,000 items: books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, maps, photographs, paintings, drawings, prints and manuscripts were bequeathed to the nation. This gift remains one of the most significant acts of philanthropy in New Zealand history and the basis for Treasures in Trust, which promises to be a stunning and intriguing show.

The supporting programme for Treasures in Trust features a series of lectures focusing on the heritage aspect of this show. On 3 July at 11.00 am our Conservator Lynn Campbell will give an illustrated lecture 'Caring for Old books, Letters and Manuscripts' at the Hurst Seager Room, Christchurch Arts Centre. On 27 July at 2.00pm Neil Roberts will give a public lecture "Alexander Turnbull and early New Zealand Art Treaures" at the Hurst Seager Room, Christchurch Arts Centre, and on 3 August a speaker from the Canterbury Library will speak on early New Zealand books. (You will be advised of the venue for the last programme in the next Bulletin.) Ann Betts will also give three Floortalks on the works in Treasures and Trust on 20 July at 2.00 pm, 23 July at 11.00 am and on 3 August at 2.00 pm.

This exhibition was held at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery in the Botanic Gardens.