The vibrant combination of pastel pinks and blues that Nairn used to capture the Hutt River were a distinguishable palette style that he often displayed within his collection of works.
The ‘Hutt River’ is a captivating example of Nairn’s earlier work. Painted in 1892, Nairn had been living in Wellington for almost two years, allowing him time to explore and discover a variety of sceneries to use as inspiration. The natural beauty of the Hutt River clearly took his eye.
During this time in his career, Nairn established the Wellington Art Club. In 1894, the club rented Pumpkin Cottage in the Hutt Valley, where scenes such as the ‘Hutt River’ would’ve been painted in open air. The canvases would have then been left to dry at the cottage.
‘Hutt River’ is another stunning example of Nairn’s unique Naturalistic/impressionistic style. He is able to capture the natural elements in a way that depicts them in a realistic manner, yet through his brush strokes & colour choices, the scenery also comes across in an impressionistic, dreamy kind of portrayal.
Please note that the turnaround time for Museum Collection Prints/Mātātuhi mai i kohinga o Te Papa is 5 to 10 business days