MAORI PORTRAITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22954, 4 February 1938, Page 11

MAORI PORTRAITS

ME. C. F. GOLDIE'S WOKK INVITATION TO SALON TWO TATTOOED CHIEFS In compliance with a special invitation from the Commissiaire-general of the Soeicto ties Artistes Francais, Mr. 0. F. Goldio, the well-known Auckland painter, will shortly send two portraits. of tattooed Maori chiefs to Europe for exhibition in this year's Paris Salon,

I\lr. Goldie has exhibited at the Salon on two previous occasions, and newspaper critiques showed that his work attracted a great deal of interest, not only because the subjects were entirely new to the French public, but also on account of the technical and artistic merit of the pictures as portraits. On the second occasion lie received the diploma of honourable mention. One of the portraits 011 which Mr. Goldie is now working represents "Wharekauri Tahuna, of Galatea, an old chief and tohunga of the Tuhoe tribe, who is said to have lived to the age of 102, He is in native dress, and is seated on the porch-sill of a wharcpuni r holding a walking-stick, and one of the carved uprights of the porch matches the elaborate tattooing of his face as an example of Maori design. The other picture is of Atama l'aparangi, of Hokianga, a line old chief of the llarawa tribe, whom Mr. Goldie sketched and photographed many years ago. He has rather light tattooing and is depicted against the raitpo wall of a hut. , As there is a possibility that the paintings may not reach Paris in time for the opening of the Salon, the artist is making arrangements in that event to submit two other works, now in London, which were intended for the Royal Academy, but by mischance were not delivered 011 the due date. These are "Midsummer's Day" and "Dreamland," portraits of an old man, Pokai, and a woman. Ina te Papatahi, both asleep in the heat of the day.