Self portrait

Wellington artist M.E.R. Tripe painted this vibrant self-portrait in 1937, at the age of 67. In her London studio, bathed in light from the large windows, we see her with brush and paint palette in hand.

Born in Christchurch, Tripe was one of New Zealand’s foremost portrait painters. She trained at art school in Wellington, before quickly earning her teaching certificate and joining the Wellington School of Design as a drawing teacher in 1889. Tripe spent most of the rest of her life working as a painter in Wellington, interspersed with multiple painting trips to Europe, England and Canada.

Tripe painted both landscapes and portraits, but was most celebrated for her work as a portraitist. Very prolific, she painted fashionable society women, other artists, and public figures such as Plunket founder Sir Truby King. She was also an active member of the Wellington art world - including much work to support the founding of the National Art Gallery.