The cover
paintings for these
two New Zealand circa
1930s travel brochures were by Leonard Cornwall Mitchell , a leading graphic artist of the 20th
century, some of whose posters are in
the Australian National Gallery collection.
The swimming pool painting
was converted into a poster
entitled Blue Baths , Rotorua .
In 1944 , the Hereford Printing Co. Ltd.,
Wellington, brought out a collection of sketches and cartoons by Mitchell with
verse by Ian MacKay dealing with
trout fishing . Mitchell also submitted ideas
for stamps and coins . Some of his scenes were like the folksy covers of the American Saturday Evening Post. His holiday posters ,which now sell for up to $400 , included the popular ski resort of Mount Cook .
The other cover in the above illustration is of Mitre
Peak, Milford Sound . Charles Weetman(
1905-1990), attached to the Australian
National Travel Association and Assistant Editor of the now non-existent great magazine
, Walkabout , which ran articles and advertisements from Kiwiland , passed to his
son the Mitchell posters , in turn donated to the Australian National
Gallery. (Brochures in Little Darwin South Pacific
Collection .)
