Tomika Te Mutu's picture, similar to these ones, hung in the Irving's living room at Cashen. Price mentions it in his book. James Irving admired the man, and in the limited time today all I can find are the paintings and very little else. There is now an incredibly tenuous connective link between one image on one side of the globe and another image of the same man resting not a half hour drive from where I was. The connection is exciting. But is it usable?
Tomika Te Mutu chief of the Ngaiterangi tribe Bay of Plenty New Zealand, painted by Gottfried Lindaur
This one by Frank Barnes is even more personal: it was owned by the Riddiford Family and hung at their Orongorongo home, which is 30 minutes past where I used to live in Wainuiomata, NZ.
Story from here:
http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/frank-barnes-tomika-te-mutu,-a-noted-east-coast-1-c-f8b162c15e
Well, I realise that I didn't address the prompt! I wonder if James Irving saw Te Mutu speak and kept the painting as a keepsake.
ReplyDeleteTe Mutu, incidentally, in maori is literally 'the end'. Meaning of mutu here: http://bit.ly/fMlb1S
What an interesting looking man. So much character and depth in his face.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out