LATE ENTRY: This work will be offered as Lot 84a. Please be aware it will be offered immediately after lot 84 at the auction.

Canterbury born Sydney Lough Thompson studied with Van Der Velden in Christchurch from 189 -98 and attended Canterbury School of Art.

In 1899 Thompson left for England and studied at Heatherley's Art School in London. In 1901 he studied at the Julian Academy in Paris under Bouguereau, but was influenced greatly by the work of the Impressionists. He painted in Brittany in the holidays from 1902-03. He visited Glascow where he exhibited with Royal Academy and the Paris Salon.

Thompson returned to New Zealand in 1905 and was appointed life master at the Canterbury School of Art from 1906-10. His work at this time was mainly portraits. He married and went to Europe again studying for one year under Lucien Simon of Paris. He then settled again in Concarneau for a year working hard on his technique. From1918 he was in the south of France during winters. In 1920 he exhibited a one man show in Paris.

He visited New Zealand from 1923-24 and gave some classes. Thompson then returned to France in 1925 where he painted mainly in the south. He returned to New Zealand in 1933 and became a great influence in art circles in Canterbury and was president of Canterbury Art Society in 1936. In 1937 he visited Europe once again, living in Brittany for 30 years until he came back to New Zealand in 1968.

In his last years Thompson and his wife spent m uch time touring around the South Island in their caravan and settling down in places where he found good painting subjects. He died on a visit to Brittany. His work was included in the 1940 Centennial Exhibition in Wellington.

Represented: Major New Zealand galleries.