Lot Essay
The present picture appears to be one of the artist's first portraits of 'Ena te Papatahi' (Ina Te Papatahi) and one of the first of a series of Maori portraits that Goldie began exhibiting in New Zealand in 1902: 'It is difficult to single out any of Mr Goldie's "Maories" as being better than the others. They are very equal in merit, beautifully drawn, and most carefully painted; and though the treatment might have been a little more sympathetic, still they are much the best studies from the Maori that have yet been painted in New Zealand. In their absolute fidelity to life, they are almost pre-Raphaelite', The Triad, Auckland edition, 1 Dec. 1902, p. 9 (The Otago Art Society's [26th] Exhibition).
Taylor and Glen (op. cit., pp. 184-277) list eighteen portraits of this sitter painted between 1902 and 1937, of which just six date to the sitter's lifetime (painted between 1902 and 1906), to which group the present picture should be added, the remaining twelve following the sitter's death (thought to be in 1910), dating from 1911 or later.
The present portrait most closely resembles the portrait of the same sitter, also dated 1902 and of similar size, titled 'Memories' or 'Meditation', now in the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch.
'Ina (Ena) te Papatahi was a Ngapuhi Chieftainess from the Hokianga who was a niece of two noted chiefs, Tamati Waaka Nene, and Patuone. Ina came to Auckland in 1866 after she had been widowed and was being forced by her family to take a new husband whom she didn't care for. She lived at Orekei village, Auckland, and looked after the old chief Eru Patuone until his death. During the last years of her life, Ina lived at the Maori Hostel with her cousin Harata (Charlotte) Rewiri Tarapata. Ina was a familiar figure around Auckland until her death, around 1910.' (ibid., p. 138).
We are grateful to Roger Blackley for information included in the above catalogue entry.
The first major retrospective of Goldie's work is to be held at the Auckland City Art Gallery in 1997.
Taylor and Glen (op. cit., pp. 184-277) list eighteen portraits of this sitter painted between 1902 and 1937, of which just six date to the sitter's lifetime (painted between 1902 and 1906), to which group the present picture should be added, the remaining twelve following the sitter's death (thought to be in 1910), dating from 1911 or later.
The present portrait most closely resembles the portrait of the same sitter, also dated 1902 and of similar size, titled 'Memories' or 'Meditation', now in the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch.
'Ina (Ena) te Papatahi was a Ngapuhi Chieftainess from the Hokianga who was a niece of two noted chiefs, Tamati Waaka Nene, and Patuone. Ina came to Auckland in 1866 after she had been widowed and was being forced by her family to take a new husband whom she didn't care for. She lived at Orekei village, Auckland, and looked after the old chief Eru Patuone until his death. During the last years of her life, Ina lived at the Maori Hostel with her cousin Harata (Charlotte) Rewiri Tarapata. Ina was a familiar figure around Auckland until her death, around 1910.' (ibid., p. 138).
We are grateful to Roger Blackley for information included in the above catalogue entry.
The first major retrospective of Goldie's work is to be held at the Auckland City Art Gallery in 1997.