Nicholas Chevalier

Nicholas Chevalier (1828-1902) had studied in Europe and London before travelling to Australia in 1854, where he made paintings and drawings of the goldfields. He worked as a professional artist in Melbourne and introduced chromo-lithography to Australia. For almost two years (1865-66) he travelled widely in New Zealand, sometimes accompanied by his wife, whose diaries record the rigours and hardships endured on some of their journeys. In 1869 Chevalier accompanied the Duke of Edinburgh on his world tour, before returning to live in London. A large collection of Chevalier's New Zealand watercolour paintings is held in the national collection in Wellington, gifted by his widow.