Continents, generations and styles apart, there is one thing that Italian artists Giovanni Bonazzon and New Zealander Aston Greathead have in common. Both are prolific painters who unswervingly set out to capture their respective heritage settings. For Bonazzon, it is evocative historical views of Venice with its signature ‘canale’, gondolas and distinctive Italian architecture. In contrast, Greathead sets out to present the dramatic mountainous landscapes that stand as defining images of New Zealand.

Presented as the old world meeting the new, equally these 15 paintings can be seen in reverse with the timeless landscapes of New Zealand pre-dating European civilisation. Either way, these highly respected artists, presented here together for the first time, offer unique insight from their life’s canvas.