BUTLER, GEORGE EDMUND (1870-1936) was born in Southampton, England, and educated first at Taunton College. He came to Wellington in 1881, completed his education at the Te Aro School and, while assisting his father at his trade as a carpenter, studied at the School of Art (afterwards the Technical College) under J. M. Nairn (q.v.). In 1897 he went to Sydney with McGregor Wright to study the pictures in the Art Gallery, and in the following year worked his passage to London in the stokehold of the Gothic. He studied at the Lambeth School of Art and at the Academie Julian in Paris, where he gained honours. At Antwerp he won the Concours gold medal and was crowned with the laurel wreath. On returning to New Zealand Butler settled in Dunedin where in 1903-04 he taught drawing to private pupils. At this time he did a good deal of painting, and sold Spring Blossoms to the Dunedin Art Gallery. He soon returned to England, whence he exhibited year by year in the New Zealand Academy's annual exhibition and at the opening of the National Gallery. He had many pictures hung in the Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy. Butler during the war of 1914-18 made many pictures as an official artist with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He had a personality of great charm and was twice married. He died on 9 Aug 1936.

Evening Post, 2 Oct 1936.

Reference: Volume 1, page 78

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