Art to go

The news there's a waterfall painting by William Hodges coming up at Christie's Auctions in London must be causing some discussion at Te Papa. Unlike Auckland Art Gallery (proud owners of the iconic View in Dusky Bay, New Zealand) Te Papa has only prints to represent the best-known artist of Captain Cook's second voyage to the Pacific in the 1770s. The painting at Christie's is A Maori at Cascade Cove in Dusky Bay, New Zealand. It's not huge (30 x 45.7 cm) and painted on copper, but it has all the essential elements including a watchful Maori figure, although probably with some prescience, he is looking over his shoulder. The work is estimated at between $160,000 and $230,000 that in terms of recent TeP acquisitions is kind of cheap.

But Te Papa does have other options. If it wants to go down the market, paintings by Hodges are on offer for under a thousand dollars by the hard working folk at Fineart China.com. Buy from them and you don’t have to wait for the Christie's auction on 29 October, they'll knock one up straight away. And it just keeps on getting better. They'll send you a photo of your painting by email as soon as it's ready for your approval and if you're not happy you get your money back. Fineart China offers thirteen different William Hodges paintings including the most famous Dusky Sound version from the National Maritime Museum, but if Te Papa goes down this path that's probably one to avoid. And if you want your own Hodges with a money back guarantee, go here.
 
Image: Fineart China