Louis John Steele - Artist

Steele was born in Surrey, England on the 30th January 1842, the son of a surgeon. He was educated in Surrey and an art school in Paris but in his early 20’s went to Florence to further his studies in painting.

Louis John Steele - self portrait
Credit: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki -
copyright use granted.

By the time Steele came in search of health to Auckland, about 1886, he was moderately well known, having exhibited not only at the Royal Academy but also at the Salon in Paris and the Exposition internationale de Lille.

In Auckland he set up a studio in the Victoria Arcade in Shortland Street and opened a class for life studies and antiques. He took great interest in the Maori and recorded their activities in several fine paintings. These paintings were sometime very large and painted jointly with another artist, for instance his former pupil C.F. Goldie collaborated in “The arrival of the Maori in New Zealand” painted in 1898. He was an active member of the French Club in Auckland and always dressed in slightly Bohemian fashion, as he might have done in Paris, wearing elaborate hats, velvet suits and even a fob watch.

Although Steele was alone when he came to New Zealand, he had married Marie Louise Alexandrine Piatti and they had two sons: Ernest and Louis. Miniatures of the two boys were exhibited at the Royal Academy.

As his health declined in his later years he moved to the Costley home for the aged poor, which became the Auckland Infirmary, then eventually Greenlane Hospital.

When there was an auction of the contents of his studio in 1917, it was claimed to be the most valuable art collection ever offered in the dominion. The proceeds of the sale may have gone to repay debts, as after his death on the 12th of December 1918 his estate was valued at under £170.

Louis Steele made an important contribution to the art life of Auckland. He excelled as a teacher and had steeped himself in New Zealand life. As a history and portrait painter he left many notable works and as an engraver he introduced skills not previously seen in New Zealand.

Anglican Division E, Row 9, Plot 23


Compiled by Geri Eccles - Discover Waikumete

Sources:
John Stacpoole. 'Steele, Louis John', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2s42/steele-louis-john
https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artwork/2322/self-portrait