Page, Evelyn (1899–1987)

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Page, Evelyn (1899–1987)

New Zealand painter. Born Evelyn Margaret Polson, 1899, in Christchurch, New Zealand; died 1987 in Wellington; trained at Canterbury College of Art, 1915–22; m. Frederick Page (composer).

Influenced by French Impressionists, painted portraits, the female nude, still life, landscape and cityscapes; set up The Group (1927), to exhibit the work of emerging artists; traveled to Europe where she was particularly impressed with work of Pierre Bonnard (1937); moved to Wellington with husband (1947), where she exhibited regularly with New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Otago Arts Society and Canterbury Society of Arts; awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council grant to travel and study overseas (1956); was said to have introduced a vitality to New Zealand contemporary art with her handling of color and light.