Story: Painting

Augustus Earle spent nine months in Northland from October 1827. He came after meeting in Sydney the Kawakawa chief Rangituke, pictured here. Earle was sympathetic to Māori and described them as 'cast in beauty's perfect mould'. So when he came to paint the portrait of Rangituke, his wife and son, he did so in a way that would give Europeans a positive impression. Although the figures are dressed in traditional Māori costume their faces have been made to look more classically European.