Foreshore, Saint Mary’s Bay, Auckland

Born at Kentish Town, London, Aldis arrived in New Zealand with his family including a brother, also an artist who confusingly signed paintings A. Aldis. Their father was W. Steadman Aldis who had taken a position as Professor of Mathematics at Auckland University College. A.E. Aldis exhibited with the Auckland Society of Arts in 1887–88. Although still listed as a member of the society in 1889 he had apparently moved to Sydney where he settled for the rest of his life. To add to the confusion, the 1890–91 Wise’s Dictionary lists the two Aldis brothers as Auckland artists but today A.E. is regarded as an Australian painter.