Places

Date: 1849

By: Johnston, James, active 1848-1860; Clarke, Cuthbert Charles, 1818-1863

Reference: B-030-008

Description: An elderly Maori man reclining on a bier, while the Rev. Thomas Chapman stands at his head, prayer-book (or Bible) in his hand. Four other European men are present inside a large temple-like structure, while a large crowd of seated and standing Maori surround the central group. Descriptive notes form part of the title: "Sir George Grey, Governor of New Zealand, being at Te Ariki, witnessed the baptism of an old chief, and was so much impressed by the scene that he had a drawing of it made, and kindly forwarded it to the Church Missionary Society. Te Ngahue is supposed to have been nearly eighty years old, and in all probability was near his end. He had long been a candidate for baptism, and had, with much labour, learned to read a little, and appeared to be looking to Christ for the salvation of his soul. He had not been able to master the Catechism and other elementary books usually required to be learned by heart; but under all the circumstances, Mr Chapman thought it right to comply with the earnest desire of himself and his friends that he should be baptised at once. He was brought into the Chapel on an amo, or native litter and was baptized by the name of Hori (George). Having shaken hands with the Governor, Mr Chapman and other visitors, he was carefully wrapped up again in his handsome native mats, and borne back to his house. A full account is given in the 'Church Missionary Intelligencer' for March 1851 ... taken from the Journal of His Excellency's Assistant Private Secretary." A black and white version (with no tinting) folded to fit the volume, was published in: Church Missionary Intelligencer, March 1851, facing p. 70. See also Church Missionary Gleaner, 1884 p. 18 for a reprint of the earlier plate. A hand-coloured version is in the Rex Nan Kivell collection, National Library of Australia. In the same collection, there is also an oil by W. McCarty, dated 1875, of the same scene, clearly based on this engraving. See B-030-003 for original pencil sketch attributed to Cuthbert Clarke See p. 222 of: Journal of an exhibition overland from Auckland to Taranaki... [by G.S. Cooper] for a description of this scene Other Titles - Thomas Chapman Quantity: 1 b&w art print(s). Physical Description: Monochrome tinted wood engraving 216 x 355 mm

Date: 1849

By: Clarke, Cuthbert Charles, 1818-1863; Turnbull, Alexander Horsburgh, 1868-1918

Reference: B-030-003

Description: The Rev Thomas Chapman officiating right of centre, bald-headed and wearing spectacles, with a crowd of English and Maori spectators, around the reclining aged chief Te Ngahue, who was baptised on his deathbed. Te Ariki was on Tarawera Lake. Sir George Grey is probably the standing figure in profile at Te Ngahue's feet while the smaller dark man standing behind him with handlebar moustache and side whiskers is likely to be Grey's secretary, John Jermyn Symonds An accompanying MS note by A H Turnbull attributes this sketch to Sir George Grey, but B30/8, a tinted wood engraving after this sketch, says that "Sir George Grey... was so much impressed by the scene that he had a drawing of it made".. Turnbull's attribution has obviously been taken from the Church Missionary Gleaner, 1884, p. 18 which says that Grey "made a sketch of on the spot.", The sketch was initially reproduced as a wood engraving in the Church Missionary Intelligencer, March 1851, opp. p. 70, with descriptive text of the event on p. 71. See: Journal of an expedition overland from Auckland to Taranaki ...[by George Sisson Cooper] p. 222-226 for a description of this event. Inscriptions: Verso - title in pencil in the hand of Alexander Turnbull, with an attribution to Sir George Grey. A note in another hand suggests that the artist is Cuthbert Clarke. There is also another faint sketch on the verso, showing a European dwelling or similar structure, a distinctive conical hill with fencing at its base in the centre and possibly a cow in the foreground Quantity: 1 drawing(s). Physical Description: Pencil, 251 x 338 mm Provenance: Purchased by Alexander Turnbull from Angus and Robertson, Sydney, April 1917 (although described as 'a print' in the correspondence of 23 Jan and 12 April 1917).