The painting is of M V Kopara owned by Richardson Ltd. She operated on the New Zealand coast from1938 until 1966. She was then sold for further service in South East Asia and as late as 1990 was still in service. It is likely the picture is painted in either Wellington or Auckland.

A picture of the M V KOPARA can be viewed in Gavin McLean's book 'Richardsons of Napier'.

Our thanks to Mr Williams Stevens for his information regarding this item.

The picture is included in our Foreign artworks section as the artist Allan Leary did not appear on our records.

Leary, Allan Herbert was born in New Plymouth in 1926. He moved to Auckland 1935. In 1941 he enrolled at Elam. He remembers the drawing tutors as professionaland demanding - Ida Eise, always helpful and sympathetic, and Lois White who, although rather more remote and sometimes ratherdaunting, was equally helpful. Outdoor study with John Weeks was a favourite with Allan - regular venues included Freemans Bay, the old iron foundry down the hill, Meyers Park and Greys Avenue. At Canterbury College School of Art the staff included well-known names such as the director Richard Wallwork, Archibald Nicoll, Colin Lovell-Smith and Cecil Kelly. Soon they were to be joined by newer faces like Bill Sutton and Russell Clark who brought a breath of fresh air to the school. There were also opportunities to participate in the Canterbury art scene at Canterbury University College Sketch Club meetings and also to meet artists such as Rita Angus and Doris Lusk who were giving a new edge to art in the region. In 1948. Allan Leary went to live in Palmerston North where he taught at Queen Elizabeth Technical College. The art department, inherited from H Linley Richardson, was well equipped. Allan married in 1952. In August 1958, after six months as a temporary Arts & Crafts liaison organiser in Auckland working with John Ritchie and Jim Allen, he and his wife Shelagh with their two young sons travelled to Britain on the Rangitata. A fellow passenger was Rita Angus. Based in London, in these early years Allan taught at a London County Council comprehensive school at Putney. Fellow Kiwis in London at that time included Maurice Shadbolt. Pat and Gill Hanly, and Conrad and Maree Bollinger. Over the next 20 years he became an authority on West African art and also a valued teacher. In 1968 Allan and his family returned permanently to Britain. Until his retirement in 1991 he was head or art and a senior faculty member at a 6th form College in Birmingham. Allan obtained his MA from Birmingham University in 1965-6 and was connected with the University's Centre of West African Studies (CWAS) until 1995.