Book review

Peter McLeavey – The life and times of a New Zealand art dealer

When it comes to settling down for a nice long read nothing beats a good biography; and this is a very good biography. Peter McLeavey is widely recognised as a, if not the, top New Zealand art dealer. He is an unusual person and has lived a well out of the ordinary life. Couple that with accomplished biography author Jill Trevelyan and we have this wonderful book.

Peter had a less than ideal start to life, with his father was a railway worker the experienced regular shifts resulted in a disrupted education. Added to this his father had a problem with alcohol and violence. Plus, his unusual personality marked him out for merciless bullying at College, Peter’s was not a happy youth. Fortunately he was rescued by an uncle who knew the family problems and had always kept an eye on Peter’s welfare. As a bank manager, he was able to find a position for Peter.

Once on his own Peter had a surprising confidence and his real life story began. He seemed to have found his niche in the bank quickly working his way up through the ranks. However his fascination with art proved the stronger, he left the bank for an Australian position, he used every spare moment in the Australian galleries. From here it was to London, working and using it as a base to visit British and European galleries.

Art did not loom large in New Zealand life in those days, Wellington only had the stuffy National Gallery attached to the Dominion Museum. Peter decided to open Wellington’s first dealer gallery. The only premises he could afford was on the second floor of a dowdy building in upper Cuba Street, and with no art to sell.

Clearly this was going to take time to become a paying concern, he took a morning manufacturing job, opening the gallery in the afternoons. It was to be four years before the gallery broke even. The foray into the world of art dealing was only possible with the great support of his wife Hilary.
A breakthrough was the contracting to be Toss Woollaston’s agent and then through this Colin McCahon. Gradually the portfolio grew until he had an impressive line up of artists.

He only offered what he considered to be excellent artworks and always kept his portfolio of artists small. If he thought an artist’s work was beginning to slip he simply terminated the contractual arrangement.

Peter was a quirky dealer, to the extent of deciding if a customer was worthy of the piece they sought, he only sold to people buying because the really appreciated the piece. He was suspicious of those who pulled out the cheque book too quickly. Buying as an investment was totally anathema.
He was blessed with an ability to spot potential among the new artists who were struggling to make a name for themselves. Those with special talent were nurtured with exhibitions, advice and encouragement and even in some cases financial assistance. As a result over the years Peter has been agent to a majority of New Zealand’s successful modern artists.

This book has clearly been a huge undertaking for Jill Trevelyan. In addition to having access to Peter’s mountains of correspondence she had interviewed many the artists he has represented over the years along with art critics and historians. The result is a elegant and lucidly written book, lavishly illustrated as a bonus.

It will in all likelihood be my book of the year.