Before and after
The delicate work was carried out by a specialist conservator and included the correcting of buckling and deformations, which were the result of the paper labels being glued to the back of the canvas in the past, as well as the removal of surface dirt which had accumulated over time.
Dive into the details
The back of the painting has a clipping with typewritten information supplied by Dr Lucy Cranwell Smith who donated the painting to the Museum's collection in 1986.
Label
"Details of Maori portrait given us through
Auckland shop (Mr Leech's) in 1944.
The notes came direct from the artist, C.F.
Goldie, a few years before his death.
"MATIKA WHAKARUA
Tribe: Ngatiraukawa
Hapu (or Sub Tribe): Ngatimotu
- Matika lived Okoroire
between Hamilton and Rotorua."
