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Story: Culture and recreation in the city

A musical evening, 1890

Image
A musical evening, 1890

This etching from the New Zealand Graphic and Ladies Journal in September 1890 shows a typical scene in a middle-class city home at the end of the 19th century.  Beneath the watercolours on the wall, a well-dressed group makes their own music with piano, violin and perhaps voice.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Making New Zealand Centennial Collection (PAColl-3060)

Reference: PUBL-0163-1890-001

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Culture and recreation in the city – Making their own fun, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/25661/a-musical-evening-1890 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 26 February 2010.