[Tempsky, Gustavus Ferdinand von] 1828-1868 :[The war council. June 1864]

Maori warrior in centre, wearing dogskin cloak, ammunition pouches and holding club, addressing a group of seated Maori men and women. A Maori woman in a white blouse and blue skirt, holding a rifle is standing to his right. The seated Maori are clad in flax cloaks and a red blanket in one case and are holding axes, tomahawks and guns. The meeting is taking place in a clearing in dense native bush, with tree-ferns, nikau, flax, ferns and cabbage trees. In the background is a hill topped by the palisades of a pa. The central warrior's expression and gestures and the expressions of the listeners suggest that he is urging them successfully to fight.

Exhibited at Waikato Art Museum and the Alexander Turnbull Library, 1978-79. 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.

Title of work comes from a letter written by the artist to his wife Emilia, in June 1864, while staying at Ngahinapouri on the Waipa River. See G.F. von Tempsky, artist and adventurer by Rose Young (Martinborough, 1981) cat no 86, pp 114, 207, 268-9 and 327.

Inscriptions: Verso - [former backing board, now removed but contents copied- notes about photography, exhibition, thymol treatment and alternative title] Maori warrior addressing a group by G.F. Von Tempsky Maori War Period [paint]ing lent by F.V.Kettle.

Quantity: 1 watercolour(s).

Physical Description: Pencil & watercolour 177 x 254 mm

Provenance: By descent from the artist to his grandson F von Tempsky Kettle; on loan to Hawkes Bay Art Gallery, 1960s-80s?; sold Dunbar Sloane auction 7 Nov 1990 (lot 30) to John Lawford, Auckland for $20,000