Goldie's last portrait up for auction, record price expected

An investment eight years ago into the last Goldie portrait looks set to pay off for an unknown private collector, when it goes under the hammer next month.

A Noble Relic of a Noble Race was painted by New Zealand artist Charles Frederick Goldie in 1941, six years before he died aged 76.

The painting was last sold in 2008 to an anonymous buyer for $416,000 at a Dunbar Sloane fine art auction in Wellington. It is now expected to fetch up to $1.2 million.

Details of the current owner, who requested anonymity, will not be released by the auctioneers.

The large portrait is one of several Goldie painted of Maori chief Wharekauri Tahuna, who was one of his favourite male subjects.

The Ngati Manawa and Tuhoe chief is believed to be aged 102 when he sat for the painting.

The portrait – said to be the last the renowned artist painted – is still in its original frame, thought to have been made by Goldie’s father.

Parnell-based International Art Centre director Richard Thomson says the portrait is typical of Goldie’s older work, and believes it is one of his best.

“It really is a beautiful painting. It is charming and iconic and as a Goldie work it rates extremely highly. When he completed this in 1941, a few years before he died, he had already painted many very fine works and had perfected his technique.”

Mr Thomson says the art centre, which is auctioning the work on April 6, has an estimate of between $800,000 and $1.2 million on it.

“This is a very rare offering and we have already had interest from New Zealand and overseas.”

Any buyer from overseas would need permission to take it out of New Zealand, since it is deemed a work of national significance.

A Goldie drawing – of Anaha Te Rahui of Ngati Tarawhai – is also for sale, expected to bring $25,000. It was done by Mr Goldie in 1931 for his wife Olive, and signed “To Olive from Charlie.”

In 2013, Goldie’s earliest Maori portrait, Kawhena, Johnny Coffin, was sold for $732,500 – the highest price reached yet for a Goldie.

In 2010, Forty Winks reached $573,000, after being sold by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

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