Bohemian artist in Maoriland

Press, 1 February 1986, Page 20

Bohemian artist in Maoriland

Gottfried Lindauer: Hit Lift and Maori Art. By Dr Briar Gorden and Professor Peter Stuppiea. Collins and Malcolm McGregor, 1985. 55 pp. 12 plates.s4s. (Reviewed by Nell Roberts) During recent years one of the most consistent successes at New Zealand fine art auctions has been portraits of the nineteenth-century New Zealand Maori, in particular those painted by Charles Frederick Goldie and Gottfried Lindauer. Of the two, Lindauer was certainly the less imaginative as a painter, but his Intention always was to be no more than a faithful recorder. Like the talented Sunday painter his aim was accuracy to what he saw as reality in nature. Various critics over the years have discussed the artistic merits of Lindauer’s painting, and have variously referred to his portraits, both European and Maori, as being, lifeless, dull, monotonous, lacking in sound composition and colour. To some extent such comments are not always unjust. Lindauer’s work was often all of these things. However, it cannot be denied that while this artist never produced great art, his imagery survives and is of Immense social and historical importance, particularly the depiction of some of the most celebrated personalities in nineteenthcentury Maoridom. This recent book on Lindauer and his Maori portraiture Is the first to_ appear in almost two decades. Most of the paintings reproduced arp selected from those formerly in Xhe Henry Partridge collectionrnow held by the Auckland City Art Gallery. The authors have chosen to reproduce just 12 Lindauer paintings including a self portrait, three paintings on Maori customs, and eight portraits of notable Maori identities, among them likenesses of Wiremu Tamahana, Rewi Manidpoto and Huria Matenga,

revered for either their mana or their deeds. Each plate is accompanied by a concise potted .biography of the subject which contains several newly researched facts. The rather generous 44cm by 34cm folio format of what is almost a picture book is well produced on high quality paper. For the most part the reproduction colour quality is better than most Lindauer reproductions made in recent years, and their presentation makes them desirable as frameable prints. Divided into two principle sections, the text deals first with Lindauer’s life, then with his art The authors have succeeded in their research of new facts about this artist, and have improved considerably on the information previously recorded about Lindauer’s early life in particular. Lindauer was a Bohemian, never in the metaphorical sense but in his nationality. Born in Pilsen, Bohemia — now part of Czechoslovakia — he is believed to have had a "spontaneous approach to nature” at a very early age. This attitude of truth to nature was reinforced during his period of study in Vienna under the tutorage of a number of artists that included Josef von Fuhrich who became a prominent member of the celebrated brotherhood of artists known as the "Nazarenes.” This formative influence stayed with Lindauer for the remainder of his life. " In the years before leaving for New Zealand in 1874 Lindauer became well "'established and reasonably successful as a portraitist in his homeland. On his arrival at Wellington he quickly resumed his activity as an artist, gaining within a very short time a reputation among the colonists as a portrait painter and photographer. It was this reputation that helped draw him to the attention of the Auckland businessman Henry Partridge who

became for almost 40 years Lindauer’s most ardent patron. There were other patrons, that included James Mackay and Walter Buller, but none showed such consistent support of the artist’s work as did Henry Partridge. Until now, detailed information on Lindauer’s movements between his arrival and settling at Woodville in 1889 has been scant. The authors have been able to remedy this. Unfortunately the commentary on the last 37 years of the artist’s life and activity in Woodville is not so revealing and is all too brief. There is also little insight into Lindauer the man, his personality and attitudes to life, which still leaves the reader with a number of questions about the artist unanswered.

In the section devoted to Lindauer’s working methods the authors explain concisely, and justify, his use of photography, both as a source and a device for making his paintings. The motives of his patrons are also clearly outlined, and to some extent analysed, as are those of the artist.

What emerges is the conclusion that despite his lack of originality Lindauer worked with a degree of sincerity free of racial prejudice that can only be described as being commendable.

That this Bohemian in Maoriland was as popular in his lifetime as he appears to be today there seems to be little doubt. There is clear evidence that Lindauer was kept busy with a constant flow of commissions from European colonists and Maori patrons.

His success in his lifetime was not restricted to New Zealand for whenever his paintings were shown at expositions overseas they Invariably achieved considerable public acclaim. While this book is visually pleasing, and the text is adequate for the artist’s biography, and for the subjects of the plates, there is still room for a more substantial monograph on this artist to be written.