An astonishing portfolio of works by the highly acclaimed, Dunedin-born, ex-patriot artist Frances Hodgkins has made its way back to her homeland.
Discovered in a house-clearance in Weymouth, Dorset, England, the works are of a very personal nature to the artist.
The selection of twelve pieces includes previously unknown natural self -portraits, oil paintings of close friend Dorothy Selby and Hodgkins' father William as well as extremely rare textile designs.
Six of the works are signed by the artist, many of Frances Hodgkins works are not, and these have been authenticated by two of New Zealand's top handwriting experts.
The works in 'The Hidden Portfolio' are thought to date from approximately 1931-40 and give an insight into the private world of one of the most influential artists of the British Modernist era.
It is thought that the pieces in 'The Hidden Portfolio' were not necessarily for public consumption and were secreted away by Hodgkins where they remained until after her death.
In some of her archived letters Frances refers to her father William and her early mentor and friend Dr Scott's folders of possibly 'objectionable' artistic attempts being hidden away behind large Victorian wardrobes. It is thought Hodgkins may have done a similar thing with 'The Hidden Portfolio' and that it was left behind, either when she was forced to evacuate her studio cottage at Castle Corfe during World War Two or when she was hospitalised shortly before her death in Dorset in 1947.
Until now there were no known natural self-portraits of Frances Hodgkins. She often referred to herself as 'ugly' and hated having her photograph taken. Her two previously known self-portraits are light, humorous affairs featuring the items of fashion that she loved and wore, including brightly coloured scarves, shoes and hats but containing no physical likenesses.
The textile designs in 'The Hidden Portfolio' have distinct similarities to those of items depicted in her 'Still Life Self-portraits' of 1935 and 1941. The only other known textile designs by Hodgkins are eight images held by Te Papa in Wellington which date from her six-month tenure at the Calico Printers Association in Manchester, England in 1925.
There are a number of subsequent instances in letters penned by Hodgkins of her attempting more textile designs but until the discovery of 'The Hidden Portfolio' there was no evidence of this.
Born in Dunedin in 1869, Frances Hodgkins was already an accomplished water-colourist by the time she traveled to England in 1901. The next 46 years were spent painting in Britain and Europe apart from a visit back home to New Zealand at the end of 1903.
Constantly experimenting and changing styles and mediums, Frances Hodgkins was undoubtedly her own harshest critic. She destroyed many pieces of her own work that she considered not good enough or unworthy of exhibition or sale.
She battled poverty, poor physical and mental health and acceptance, predominantly as a serious female artist and it wasn't until the 1920's that her talent was begun to be widely recognised. The last decade of her life saw her produce some of her most critically acclaimed work, culminating in her selection as Britain's representative in the ill-fated Venice Biennale of 1940, which was cancelled due to World War Two.
The first South Island exhibition of the works titled 'Francis Hodgkins- The Hidden Portfolio' will be held in the Art Zone Gallery at the Otago Art Society, first floor Railway Station Building from March 7-19 2017. Open 10am-4pm daily.
- Andy Boston
