Nineteenth Century New Zealand Artists: A Guide & Handbook

MOULTRAY, James Douglas 1831–1911

MOULTRAY, James Douglas 1831–1911

Born Edinburgh, Scotland: taught art by Walter Ferguson at Edinburgh High School, continued studies at Royal Institute and worked as a picture restorer. He apparently painted even his largest pictures with small sable brushes. Married Mary Elder c.1853. Moultray met and became assistant to the popular landscape painter Horatio M'Culloch: he represented Scotland at an art convention and exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy. Arrived New Zealand 1883 and settled in Dunedin, working as a professional artist. He and his sons J.E. and Henry Moultray are listed as Dunedin artists 1887–88 Stone's Directory. He only exhibited with the OAS 1883–85; with the NZ Academy of Fine Arts Wtn 1889–90; with ASA intermittently from 1884. It can be assumed that he held exhibitions of his work in shops, or in his studio in Dunedin for he went on painting, it is said, almost until his death. His paintings believed to be in galleries in Edinburgh, Manchester, Dundee and London. Also represented Hocken.