Bullock, Margaret, 1845-1903 :[Portrait of Kawana Pitiroi Paipai. 1884?]

A half length oil portrait of Maori tohunga and rangatira Kawana Pitiroi Paipai of Putiki Pa, Whanganui. He is wearing a traditional light-coloured flax tagged cloak. A red and black geometric patterned border band is visible at his right wrist, and the same pattern at the neck edge. His hair is brushed back and he has a sparse beard. In his right hand he holds a greenstone patu, and he wears a tooth pendant earring in his right ear. He has full facial moko.

The artist is better known as a social reformer and writer than as an artist. It is possible that the work has been made by the overpainting of a photographic image; the treatment of the eyes suggests a photograph. The subject was resident across the river from Whanganui at the same time as the artist, and a painting from life would have been possible. The moko appears to be accurately recorded in comparison with photographs of Kawana Paipai

This painting was purchased by the Library as a portrait of Patuone, and was initially believed to be a copy of a photograph of Patuone by John Crombie, with some variations. However a number of details were problematic, including a resemblance that was not strong, and moko that did not match that shown in photographs of Patuone, along with the likelihood that the work was painted posthumously, given the fact that Patuone died in 1872. Further research revealed the existence of an oil by Maggie Bullock shown at Auckland Society of Arts in 1884 under the title 'Kawana Tiwhitorangi, a Wanganui chief'. Kawana Pitiroi Paipai's father was Tawhito and he appears to have used this name from time to time. He also had the name Te Wheturangi. He was a chief at Putiki Pa, Whanganui, when Maggie Bullock was also resident in Whanganui. Apart from the name, both the appearance and the moko of the subject make it very likely that this is Kawana Paipai. 1884, the year of exhibition of 'Kawana Tiwhitorangi' was also the year of Kawana Paipai's death.

Other Titles - Patuone Eruera Maihi, 1870-1990s. Former title

Other Titles - Te Wheturangi

Inscriptions: Recto - bottom right - Maggie Bullock

Quantity: 1 oil(s).

Physical Description: Oil on canvas, 670 x 570 mm (sight)

Provenance: At some point previously, the work is said to have been in the private collection of Reginald Longden, an Australian or British antiques dealer, associated at some time with the Palmerston North Art Gallery.