Native feast held at Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand. May 11 1844.

[ca. 1844]

1844

Hocken Pictorial Collections - 12,282

a5516

On mount in ink in Dr Hockenís hand: Native Feast held at Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand. May 11th 1844. Joseph Merrett, artist. T.M. Hocken; label in ink in Dr Hockenís hand: An interesting account of this Feast is given in Gov. Fitzroyís despatch to Lord Stanley, dated May the 25th 1844 & printed in P.P. No 247, April 22nd, 1845 p. 8-18. It is copied in part into The NEw Zealander of Nov 8th 1845 V. also the Southern Cross of May 18th 1845. The artist of this primitive watercolour was Joseph Merrett, a former resident of N.S.W. & an interpreter. It was lithographed at home with some alterations which are an improvement on the original. Judging from its rarity, this lithograph, q.v. must have had a scanty sale. Several other of his sketches are in my collection. Latterly he lived near Gisborne & died at Wellington in 1854. T.M. Hocken.; label in ink in Dr Hockenís hand: N.B. The site of the Feast being quite forgotten & frequent inquiry failing to locate it, I devoted some time in March 1908, aided by Mr Allom of Auckland to its discovery. The hill in the foreground of the picture in the foot of Little Rangitoto mow reserved for quarry purposes. Mountain Road runs through it thus forming an additional landmark. This gives a sufficient key to the position. In early days this piece of ground had several small lagoons which have entirely disappeared.

284 x 912 mm

watercolour, pen & ink on paper

Dr T.M. Hocken’s Collection.