Margaret Butler (sculptor)

Margaret Mary Butler (30 April 1883 – 4 December 1947) was a New Zealand sculptor and artist and is regarded as the first New Zealand born sculptor of substance.

Early life and education
She was born in Greymouth, West Coast, New Zealand on 30 April 1883, to Edward Butler, Grey County engineer, and his wife Mary Delaney.

She attended St Mary's College, Wellington and then at Wellington Technical School

Work
Butler's works were feature at the National Centennial Exhibition of New Zealand in 1940 and the largest collection of her work is held by Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand.

In 2023 her work was included in the exhibition In the Round: Portraits by Women Sculptors at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery.

Death
Margaret Butler died in Wellington of cancer on 4 December 1947. Prime minister, Peter Fraser and the Catholic archbishop of Wellington, Thomas O'Shea were attendees at her funeral.