A Life of Art and Service
Horace Millichamp Moore-Jones was a notable New Zealand artist, soldier, and art teacher. Born in Malvern Wells, Worcestershire, England, he emigrated to New Zealand with his family when he was approximately 17 years old. He established himself as a professional artist, working throughout both New Zealand and Australia. During the First World War, he volunteered for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Initially serving as a sapper, he later became a war artist during the Gallipoli Campaign. His wartime work included sketches of the battlefield and watercolours based on his observations.
Following his service, Moore-Jones worked as an art teacher and conducted various exhibitions and lectures across New Zealand. He died in 1922 due to extensive burns sustained while attempting to rescue people from a fire at the Hamilton Hotel in Hamilton.
Artistic Contributions and Notable Works
Moore-Jones developed a reputation for portraiture and semi-allegorical works. His collection of war art included seventy works, which he eventually sold to the Australian Government. One of his most famous paintings is 'The Man with the Donkey', a work inspired by a photograph of a medical orderly transporting a wounded soldier. While often associated with John Simpson Kirkpatrick, it was later identified that the subject was Richard Alexander Henderson.
His artistic legacy includes:
- Exhibitions and lectures throughout New Zealand to benefit the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association.
- Works held in institutions such as the Australian War Memorial, Auckland Art Gallery, and Waikato Museum.
- A bronze statue in Hamilton depicting him as a sketching artist on the Gallipoli battlefield.
