Places

Date: 1866

By: Liardet, Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn, 1799-1878

Reference: B-035-018

Description: Flax and toitoi in the foreground, a group of Pakeha and Maori to the right, the Tuamarina Hotel with verandah and a shed in the middle ground, the Picton-Blenheim road with horse-drawn carriage, telegraph poles alongside and the hill with a monument where the Wairau Affray occurred in 1843 Liardet painted two copies of this scene. The Library holds an almost identical watercolour at C-030-017 Liardet was passing through Tuamarina to investigate iron sand deposits in the Nelson area when he painted this view. Quantity: 1 photograph(s) black & white. Physical Description: Photograph of watercolour 240 x 350 mm Provenance: Cowan left the painting with the Rutherford family at Canvastown and when their possessions were dispersed, an aunt of the owner bought the picture, said to be an "oil and watercolour with Indian Ink" [i.e. probably watercolour with Indian ink, possibly with gum arabic]. Information from the donor of the photograph, Tuamarina, 11.7.1955

Date: 1866 - 1868

By: Liardet, Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn, 1799-1878

Reference: C-030-017

Description: Flax and toitoi in the foreground, a group of Pakeha and Maori to the right, the Tuamarina Hotel with verandah and a shed in the middle ground, the Picton-Blenheim road with horse-drawn carriage, telegraph poles alongside and the hill with a monument where the Wairau Affray occurred in 1843 Exhibited in 'Wide-Eyed: Early Images of New Zealand' exhibition of works by settler artists, held at the National Library of New Zealand Gallery, 18 July - 9 November 1997. The monument to the victims of the Wairau Affray was unveiled in March 1866. This watercolour may show part of the unveiling ceremony Liardet painted two copies of this scene. A photograph of a privately-owned oil and watercolour is held at B-035-018 Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: Watercolour 305 x 480 mm

Date: 1861

By: Alexander, James Edward (Sir), 1803-1885; Groshinski, Brian Peter, 1944-

Reference: A-113-033

Description: Two men, one seated, one standing, clad in Zouave-style (North African) uniforms with blue fez with a red tassle, short red collarless jackets, blue shirts and baggy blue knickerbockers, brown stockings and ankle-length boots. The seated man on the left, holding a taiaha, is on a slab of stone, with two palm trees behind him, possibly intended to be nikau. The standing man is holding a rifle. On the right is a toitoi in flower. There is a bay and low hills beyond the two men, probably Auckland Harbour with Rangitoto Island in the background. The type of uniform shown was never adopted for Maori soldiers The artist partook in the Waikato and Taranaki campaigns of the New Zealand Wars, 1860-1863. He wrote two books about the wars in New Zealand and in his "Bush Fighting. Illustrated by Remarkable Actions and Incidents of the Maori War in New Zealand" (London, 1873), Chapter 1, he makes suggestions about the ideal uniforms for bush fighters; he also (p. 14) mentions that "[Maori] look best in their native attire. I tried to introduce for the men the kilt and knickerbockers, instead of trousers, where I was stationed. Of course I did not venture to suggest changes in the ladies' costumes." Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: Watercolour and sepia wash over pencil 162 x 247 mm Provenance: Probably purchased in London in the 1930s by the Pyecroft family, of Auckland. Sold in the early 1970s to art dealer Brian Groshinski, then of Wellington, and later of Auckland and Melbourne.