ILLUSTRATED Roger Blackley, Goldie, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki (David Bateman, 1997) p.77

In 1883, the young Goldie was enrolled at Auckland Grammar School. His youthful artistic talents shone, and it was not long before he was winning prizes at the Auckland Society of Arts. On leaving school, Louis John Steele became his mentor and tutor. Two of the young artist’s still life paintings (see Lot 31) so impressed Sir George Grey that he convinced David Goldie to allow his 22 year old son to attend the Académie Julian in Paris. In July 1893, at the age of 22, Goldie enrolled at the cosmopolitan Académie Julian.

For four and a half years, until January 1898, he studied in the studio supervised by the eminent Salon painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau. He also enjoyed tuition from lesser-known masters, including Gabriel Ferrier, and attended anatomy classes at the École des Beaux-Arts. Goldie won regular prizes in studio competitions and, in 1896, was awarded a gold medal for life painting.

Charles Goldie engaged in traditional academic art training by copying works of old masters in major galleries such as the Louvre, and traveled through countries including Great Britain, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Italy. While several New Zealand artists also studied in Paris, only a few remained there for more than a year or two. Charles Goldie was the only one of his generation to undertake the full rigours of French academic training.

Auckland Art Gallery, Goldie, 28 June - 28October 1997. Cat. no.42

Private Collection
Purchased from Olive Goldie by current owner, by descent