Murray Millar, of Queensland, points himself out to (from left) Burns Pollock, Colin Wheeler and Phyllis Wheeler in Mr Wheeler's painting The School Dance.
Mr Pollock and Mrs Wheeler also figure in the watercolour, painted in 1953, with Mrs Wheeler standing next to Mr Millar.
From a private collection, it is one of about 25 works painted between 1942 and 2003 in an exhibition in tribute to Mr Wheeler on show at the Forrester Gallery until October 9.
The detailed work is of a school dance at Waitaki Boys' High School and was painted the year after Mr Wheeler returned to the school as art master.
Wonderfully detailed, it features teachers and staff from the era, although some of the figures are repeated.
Mrs Wheeler's face and body is used a number of times and Mr Pollock recalls sitting for Mr Wheeler as he painted the members of the rock'n'roll band in the painting's background.
Mr Millar, also a former staff member, was in Dunedin for the King Edward Technical College jubilee and is staying with Mr and Mrs Wheeler before returning home.
