Places

Date: 1858 - 1859

By: Park, Robert, 1812-1870; Deans, William, active 1976

Reference: C-071-013

Description: Shows a view looking down to a hollow area between hills, with raupo huts and tents collected in and around the hollow. Soldiers in red jackets stand around in small groups. There are walking tracks going up the background slopes, and a fence has been made going up the hill on the left. This painting is not titled by the artist, and bears a strong resemblance to another watercolour by Park, entitled in pencil at lower right "Napier". Both works are shown (on pages 74 and 76) of Nola Easdale's "Kairuri; the measurer of the land" (1988), held at NZ&P q526.9 EAS 1988. Randal Springer, Wanganui historian, (AT 13/14/1, 30 April 1997) said that there was no military encampment "near Wanganui" in 1847; it was all in Wanganui itself, at the Rutland and York stockades. The topography is also wrong for Wanganui. The evidence suggests that the view is of Napier in the late 1850s, rather than of Wanganui. It is not known whether the title was assigned by Library staff or by the donor Dating: likely to date from the 1858 or 1859, when the 65th Regiment was in Hawkes Bay and Park was working with Donald McLean Other Titles - Military encampment, Wanganui, 1847 [attributed title on donation] Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: Watercolour 250 x 355 mm Provenance: Donation: William Deans, Knockdolian, Darfield, 17.2.76.