Rita Angus was born in 1908 in Hastings, New Zealand, and passed away in 1970. She was a New Zealand painter, regarded as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century New Zealand art, alongside Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston.

Angus studied at the Canterbury College School of Art and later attended the Elam School of Fine Arts in Auckland. Her work was influenced by Byzantine art, Cubism, and Renaissance painting, as well as the distinct New Zealand light and landscape.

Rita Angus painted some of New Zealand’s most celebrated works, including Cass (1936), which was voted New Zealand’s most-loved painting in a 2006 television poll. She also created striking self-portraits, reflecting her feminist ideals and ind
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