This exhibition is now closed
Roads to Rome
30 August –
14 October 1990

For more than two centuries Italy has held an attraction for artists worldwide. During the twentieth century this had included New Zealanders and visits by New Zealand artists have been constant and are still occurring. This exhibition comprises mostly work from the Robert McDougall Art Gallery's permanent and loan collections. It presents the experience of Italy by both New Zealand and non New Zealand artists through a series of installations which occupy the entire gallery space.
Among the New Zealanders represented are: Robert Procter, Maud Sherwood, David C. Hutton, Olivia Spencer Bower, William A. Sutton and Alan Pearson. The Italian artists include Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Luca Giordani, Renato Guttoso and Marcello Mascherini. There are also a number of works with just an Italian theme.
Visits to Italy by New Zealand artists began early this century. Among the earliest were C. N. Worsley, Robert Procter and David E. Hutton. By the 1920s the number of artists including Italy on their travels to Europe had increased considerably. Both Maud Sherwood and Olivia Spencer Bower were two artists active there in this period. Olivia Spencer Bower returned to Italy in 1963 for a brief visit.
In the 1970s the more notable artists from Canterbury to travel to Italy were Doris Lusk and William A. Sutton.
Between December 1973 and August 1974 while on sabbatical leave from the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts, W. A. Sutton made a remarkable series of drawings and watercolours. Some 100 of these have been included in Roads to Rome and forms a pictorial diary of the artist's visits to Rome, Florence, Venice and other Italian cities and towns.
For most artists the roads to Rome have inspired them to be documentators or recorders of place however occasionally more rarely the weight and power of Italy as a core of western civilisation has been overwhelming.
In the early 1980s Alan Pearson lived in Southern Italy briefly and was confronted by the timeless spirit that pervaded this region. The artist's reaction was intense and profound and his experiences not only with place but with people were expressed in a way that had been unparalleled by any other New Zealand artist visiting Italy in recent decades.
Dr Ian Lochhead from the University of Canterbury will give an illustrated talk on September 21 in conjunction with the exhibtion Roads to Rome. the topic of his talk is: In the Footstpes of Claude, Eighteenth Century Landscape Painters in Rome.
('Roads to Rome', Bulletin, No.70, September/October 1990, p.3)
Exhibition number 461
Exhibition number: 461
Collection works in this exhibition (150)
On The Pier At Boulogne

Hector Caffieri
Twilight, Venice

Terrick John Williams
Taormina, Sicily, 1923

Cora Hilda Wilding
View Of Naples

Claude Vernet, Artist Unknown
List Of Relics Held In The Sacristy, S Marco, Venice

Bill Sutton
The Colosseum seen from the Southeast

Gaspar van Wittel
Large Pot

Artist Unknown
Grand Canal, Venice, After Turner

Hercules B Brabazon
Wild Flowers, Boboli Gardens, Florence 2 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Wellhead, Campa S Trovaso, Venice, 30 June 1974

Bill Sutton
Well Head, Torcello, Venezia, 8 May 1974

Bill Sutton
Villa Borghese, Casino, Rome 8 January 1974

Bill Sutton
Urbino, a note, 4 August 1974

Bill Sutton
Trastevere, a note

Bill Sutton
Trastevere from the Janiculum, Rome, 10 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
Trajan’s Column and SS Nome Di Maria Al Foro Traiano, Rome, 12 March 1974

Bill Sutton
Trajan’s Markets, Rome, 5 March 1974

Bill Sutton
Tivoli With Temple Of Vesta And Roman Campagna, 11 January 1974

Bill Sutton
S Spirito, Florence, 23 March 1974

Bill Sutton
Section Of Frieze, Departure Of Domitian, Gregorian Profane Museum, Vatican 13 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
Sculpture, Farnese Gardens, Palatine And Inscription, St Peter’s Dome, Rome, 7 Mar ’74

Bill Sutton
Sculpture In The Museo Nazionale Romano Delle Terme, 24 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
Santissimi Maria E Donato, Murano, 22 May 1974

Bill Sutton
San Vitale, Ravenna, 20 July 1974

Bill Sutton
Ruins Of Temple Of Apollo Sosianus, Rome, 20 Jan 1974

Bill Sutton
Rome

Bill Sutton
Romana Rui ‘Pieta’ (Rear View) Museum of Contemporary Art, Vatican, 5 Feb ’74

Bill Sutton
Roman Incised Relief, 3rd C A.D. Gregorian Profane Museum, Vatican, 4 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
Rio Di St Anna, Venice, 2 June 1974

Bill Sutton
Ponte Sisto, Rome, 31 Jan 1974

Bill Sutton
Ponte De L’Abazia, Venice, 11 June 1974

Bill Sutton
St Peters From The Janiculum, Rome, 15 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
St Peters and Castel di S. Angelo, Rome 29 December 1973

Bill Sutton
Palatine from the Circus Maximus, Rome 23 December 1973

Bill Sutton
Old House, Rio Malpaga, Venice, 11 June 1974

Bill Sutton
Notes, the Abbey of Pomposa, 15 July 1974

Bill Sutton
A note, S Spirito, Florence, 12 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Notes in the Cathedral Museum, Florence, 10 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Notes in the Cathedral Museum Florence, 10 April 1974

Bill Sutton
A Note From My Bedroom Window, At The Antica Locanda Montin, Venice

Bill Sutton
Notes Of Some Wrought Iron Grilles, Venice

Bill Sutton
A Note at Murano, 22 May 1974

Bill Sutton
The Narthex, Basilica Of Torcello, Venice, 8 May 1974

Bill Sutton
The Motto Of Venice

Bill Sutton
Memorial to Andrea Del Sarto, The Cloister, SS Annunziata, Florence, 15 April 1974

Bill Sutton
St Marks Campanile From the Studio of Dr Renzo Padovan, Venice, 29 April 1974

Bill Sutton
S Maria della Pieve, from the Piazza Grande Arezzo, 28 July 1974

Bill Sutton
S Maria In Trastevere, Rome

Bill Sutton
S Maria In Trastevere, Rome

Bill Sutton
S Maria In Trastevere, Rome

Bill Sutton
S Maria In Trastevere, Rome

Bill Sutton
Mannerist poses from ‘Martyrdom of St Lawrence’, Fresco in San Lorenzo, Florence. 19 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Madonna Dell’Orto, Venice, 17 June 1974

Bill Sutton
The line shows the height the waters in the Great Flood of 1966 reached. There are many in Florence, in S Croce above head height

Bill Sutton
Laurus Nobilis, Rome, 11 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
Introduction Second Version (The Timetable Was To Be Printed On An Additional Sheet)

Bill Sutton
Venice - title page

Bill Sutton
Introduction And Timetable

Bill Sutton
Introduction ‘first version’

Bill Sutton
Interior, an aisle, S Spirito, Florence, 12 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Interior, S Giorgio Al Velabro, Rome, 28 January 1974

Bill Sutton
Inscription On The Tomb Of Michelangelo In S Croce, Florence

Bill Sutton
Inscription Inlaid In The Pavement Of The Piazza Della Signoria, On The Spot Where Savonorola and the two companions were hanged and burned, Florence

Bill Sutton
Inscription On Stone Box In Which Informers Could Deposit Letters Denouncing Their Neighbours to the authorities. There are still several extant in Venice.

Bill Sutton
Houses On The Grand Canal, Venice, 12 May 1974

Bill Sutton
S. Gregorio and Rio Della Salute, Venice, 2 July 1974

Bill Sutton
The Grand Canal, Venice 1 May 1974

Bill Sutton
The Giudecca From The Studio Of Dr Renzo Padovan, Venice 26 April 1974

Bill Sutton
S Giorgio Al Velabro, Rome

Bill Sutton
S Giorgio al Velabro, Rome

Bill Sutton
S Giorgio Al Velabro, Rome

Bill Sutton
S Giorgio Al Velabro, Rome

Bill Sutton
In The Gardens, National Museum Of Roma, 8 February 1974

Bill Sutton
Frontispiece

Bill Sutton
From The Steps Of S Maria D’Aracoeli, Rome, 27 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
From Sculpture In The Gregorian Profane Museum, Vatican, 26 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
From Sculpture In The Museo Nazionale Romano Delle Terme, 24 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
From Sculpture In The Museo Nazionale Romano Delle Terme, 24 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
From Sculpture In The Capitoline Museum, 23 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
From Sculpture in the Capitoline Museum, 23 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
From The Viale Dei Giardini Pubblici, in Foreground, Memorial To The Partisans, Venice, 23 June 1974

Bill Sutton
Forum Romanum, 21 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
Florence

Bill Sutton
Florence from the Belvedere, 26 March 1974

Bill Sutton
Fiesole From San Domenico, 5 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Ferrara, Ravenna, Arezzo, Urbino, Perugia

Bill Sutton
Early Christian Sarcophagos, San Vitale, Ravenna 20 July 1974

Bill Sutton
The Doges’ Palace and St Marks From The Punta Della Dogana Venice 6 May 1974

Bill Sutton
The Dogana and Entrance to The Grand Canal, Venice, 17 May 1974

Bill Sutton
Distant Prospect of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, 23 July 1974

Bill Sutton
Detail of Palazzo Giovanelli, Venice, 19 May 1974

Bill Sutton
Detail of exterior, St Marks Venice, 12 May 1974

Bill Sutton
Chiaramonti Gregorian Profane Museum, Vatican, 4 Feb ’74

Bill Sutton
The Curia from The Palatine, towards Piazza Venezia, 25 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
S Croce, Florence, 22 April 1974

Bill Sutton
S Croce, Interior Frescoes by Agnolo Gaddi, Florence, 18 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Church and Via S. Ercolano, Perugia, 16 August 1974

Bill Sutton
The Church Piazza, Niccolo Tommaseo, Settignano, 7 April 1974

Bill Sutton
The Cathedral and Palace, Urbino, 4 August 1974

Bill Sutton
Castello Estense, Ferrara, 14 July 1974

Bill Sutton
Campo S Trovaso, Venice, 6 July 1974

Bill Sutton
Ca D’Oro, Grand Canal, Venice, 30 May 1974

Bill Sutton
Bust and Tomb Inscription Of Veronese, S Sebastiano, Venice

Bill Sutton
In The ‘Braccio Nuovo’ Vatican Museums, 4 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
The Arno, Florence, 6 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Arms of Federico, Duke of Urbino, with Inscription from the Courtyard of the Ducal Palace, Urbino

Bill Sutton
Arch of Septimus Severus From The Forum, Rome, 20 Feb 1974

Bill Sutton
Arch of Constantine, Rome 18 January 1974

Bill Sutton
Apse of S Maria in Porto, from the Public Gardens, Ravenna 21 July 1974

Bill Sutton
Anghiari, From The Arezzo-Sansepolcro Road, 29 July 1974

Bill Sutton
Rome

Olivia Spencer Bower
The Holy Family

Artist Unknown, Carlo Saraceni
Saint Matthew

Guido Reni
Sunny Italy

Robert Procter
The Market

Robert Procter
Figure Sketch

Giovanni Batista Pittoni
Veduta dell’Anfiteatro Flavio, detto il Colosseo

Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Trofei d’Augusto esisenti su la piazza del Campidoglio, tolti gia di sotto le rovine degli archi del Castello di cui si tratta, accenate nella Tav. II. lett. F, e nella Tav. XIII. fig. I. lett. Q.

Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Christ Appearing To Startled Cardplayers

François Chauveau
The Virgin And Child With St Mary Magdalene

Carlo Maratti
Figure With Drapery

Carlo Maratti
Preparatory Drawing For A Fresco

Artist Unknown
Mythological Subject

Artist Unknown
Madonna And Child

Artist Unknown
Standing woman with three children (Caritas)

Abraham Bloemaert
Drawing

Artist Unknown
Study for a Ceiling Fresco

Luca Giordano
Night Fall On The Sabine Hills, Rome

Frederick Vincent Ellis
Bacchus and Ariadne

Jacopo Amigoni
Classical Figures

Artist Unknown
Bather - A Fragment

Marcello Mascherini
Veduta della Gran Curia Innocenziana

Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Making Ligurian Lace

Henry H. La Thangue
Teresina

Lord Frederic Leighton
Courtyard of the Doge’s Palace with S. Marco, Venice, 16 May 1974

Bill Sutton
La Piccola Marina, Capri

Olivia Spencer Bower
Ponte Fabricio with S Bartolomeo, Rome 27 December 1973

Bill Sutton
S. Maria Della Salute, Venice, 1 May 1974

Bill Sutton
Dante’s Beatrice

U Biagini
Robed Male Torso. Roman Copy Of Greek Original, Gregorian Profane Museum, Vatican, 4 February 1974

Bill Sutton
Colosseum From The South, Rome, 5 January 1974

Bill Sutton
Veduta dell' Ingresso della Camera Sepolcrale di L. Arrunzio e della sua Famiglia (Interior view of the family tomb of Lucius Arruntius)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Florence from Fiesole, 5 April 1974

Bill Sutton
Detail of The Dome, Florence Cathedral, 9 April 1974

Bill Sutton
The Mausoleum of Theodoric, Ravenna 21 July 1974

Bill Sutton
The Cathedral, from Via Del Bastione Di S. Clemente. Arezzo, 26 July ’74

Bill Sutton
Rooftops, Perugia, from the Brufani Palace Hotel, 14 August 1974

Bill Sutton
Veduta dell’Interno del Pronao dei Portici d’Ottavia oggi S. Angelo in Pescaria

Luigi Rossini
Three Fishermen In A Rowing Boat
Renato Guttuso
The Drawbridge, Plate VII (second state) from the series Invenzioni Capric di Carceri

Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Related

Bulletin 70
September/October 1990
Contents include
A new art gallery: a clouded future
Roads to Rome exhibition
Philip Price exhibition
Exhibition
W.A. Sutton: Watercolours of Italy
27 February – 25 April 2010
An exhibition featuring a selection of works from Bill Sutton's 1973–4 Italian sojourn, highlighting his exquisite skill as a draughtsman and watercolourist.