Explore Mīharo Wonder

Explore the mīharo of 100 years of collecting at the Alexander Turnbull Library. For this centenary exhibition we have chosen items that declared themselves to our eye, heart and mind. We hope they’ll speak to yours too.

From Turnbull's bequest

Browse all
Hurley, Gavin, 1973-: Alexander [Portrait of Alexander Turnbull. Work no.] 221.08. 2008.Earle, Augustus, 1793-1838 :[Meeting of the artist and Hongi at the Bay of Islands, November 1827]Fox, William 1812-1893 :Bird's eye view of Waitoi. [1848][Heaphy, Charles] 1820-1881 :View of the rocks laying off Point Jackson - North entrance of Queen Charlotte's Sound [Between 1839 and 1844?]Das vierdte Buch von der Neuwen Welt., Oder, Neuwe vnd gründtliche Historien, von dem Nidergängischen Indien, so von Christophoro Columbo im Jar 1492 erstlich erfunden. / Durch Hieronymum Bentzo von Meyland beschrieben, welcher 14. Jar. dasselbig Land durchwandert auffs fleissigst bescriben vnd an Tag geben. Mit nützlichen Scholien aund Auszlegenungen fast auff jede Capitel von deren Völckern Sitten, Gebräuch, und Gottesdienst. Sampt deren Prouintzen Landtafel. Alles mit schönen und kunstreichen Kupfferstücken vnd deren angehenckten Erklärungen, an Tag geben, durch Diterich von Bry ...Kapa (tapa)Zoomorphic diagram - BeastText with embellished diagram - Soldiers on twin towers supported by an elephantText and decorated initial - Winged dragon in the shape of an "S"Paradise lost. : A poem in twelve books. / The authour John Milton.

Te ao Māori

Browse all
Godber, Albert Percy, 1876-1949 :[Drawings of Maori rafter patterns]. 19. 34W; 20. 30W; and, 21. 1W. MA1. "Pitau-a-Manaia". [1939-1947].Double page - Diary entries and sketchesMaori family group, near Auckland - Photograph taken by Herbert DeverilKendall, Thomas, 1778-1832 :Nuku Tawiti, a deity in the first state [1824]Maori carvings and tukutuku panels at Tamatekapua meeting house in OhinemutuCreator unknown : Doorway and window carvings at Te Rauru meeting house, WhakarewarewaLloyd, Charles A fl 1880s-1912 (Photographer) : Maori wood carving of the goddess Hine-nui-te-po, and MauiInterior of Te Mana-o-Turanga meeting house at Manutuke

Portraits

Browse all
Mary Ann Rhodes and unidentified womanMaori manGroup portrait of two women and a manCreator unknown: Portrait of John Fairweather MoonlightPortrait of three young womenPortrait of Thomas Stewart MonkhousePortrait of seated womanUnidentified womanUnidentified man, seated on an ornate chairUnidentified womanPossibly Mr and Mrs Imrie, with sewing machineWoman and child, Wanganui districtPeyman, Benjamin, 1823/24-1897 :Portrait of Karaana or Caroline, sister to the Queen of NukumaruPeyman, Benjamin, 1823/24-1897: Portrait of Karaana, sister to the Queen of NukumaruArapata Hakiwai and Ripeka HakiwaiNZ Government Tourist Department (Wellington) :Portrait of unidentified Maori man[Barry, James] :Tooi, a New Zealand chief. Painted and presented by James Barry Esq[ui]re[Barry, James] :Teeterree, a New Zealand chief. Painted and presented by James Barry Esq[ui]rePikau TeimanaJames CoxPapers relating to Frank PhilpottPhotographer unknown :Portrait of Renata KawepoUnidentified musicians, with hand bells

Pacific stories

Browse all
Thatched building, VanuatuReed, Charles :Fale-o-le-fee [House of the Octopus] Samoa. Apia. [Early twentieth century?]Paiore, fl 1820s :The Paumoto conception of the Heavens, 1918 [ca 1820].Sketches of Mokilese men and womenThe Boys' Brigade troop parading outside the Church of Zion on Palmerston IsletCook Islanders and woven mat, Ngatangiia, Rarotonga, Cook Islands - Photograph taken by George R Crummer[Webber, John] 1752-1793 :[Tu (Cook's Otoo), King Pomare I of Tahiti. 1777]Tamasese and his committee outside the Mau office at VaimosoReed, Charles :Ole Falesa [the four houses] - Maluleietu. ApiaRoss, Malcolm, 1862-1930 :[Niuean people awaiting the decision of the Ariki on annexation]Gentleman's Magazine :Fig. 1 [A war canoe of New Zealand, by Sydney Parkinson]; Fig. 2 [Breadfruit]; Fig. 3. CR XII, Obs Newark 1645. Gent Mag, Sep 1773.Yaqona's nuptial couchRock carving, AnatomGroup from the Island of Mangaia, Cook Islands, in traditional dress, with gods Vari and Tane Kiao, Cook Islands

Artists and writers

Browse all
Self portrait of Ans Westra; scenes at a family reunion at Ruatoria; and scenes at a tangi in HiruharamaRita Angus, Port Hills, ChristchurchPoet Hone Tuwhare writing in his notepad during a stop on the Maori Land MarchFrances Hodgkins in SydneyPhotographs of Judith Binney taken by Gil HanlyOpening of exhibition State of Light by Bill Culbert at Peer Gallery, LondonThorndon, Paul FamilyKatherine Mansfield reclining beside rocksWoollaston, Mountford Tosswill (Sir), 1910-1998 :Portrait of Michael King. 1987.

Intersecting worlds

Browse all
Pringle, Thomas, 1858-1931 :[Carved figure at Auckland Museum]Barry, James : [The Rev Thomas Kendall and the Maori chiefs Hongi and Waikato]Kia Kingi practising flax plaiting beneath statue of John Ballance, Moutoa Gardens, WanganuiRua Kenana Hepetipa's wooden circular courthouse and meeting house at MaungapohatuPatched gang members in the Māori Affairs Committee Room "Matangireia" at ParliamentMaori prisoners, members of the Hauhau church, under guard on board a prison hulk in Wellington harbourSketch of Te Kooti made at Te TekoMaori guard and prisoner at the Japanese prisoner of war camp near FeatherstonTuai, 1797?-1824 : CorrespondenceHe korero kohikohi enei no te Kawenata Tawhito, no te Karaipiture.(35) The 'Moko' of Renata Kawepo, drawn by himselfMantell, Walter Baldock Durrant, 1820-1895 :Otaki. 3 July 1844. Taranaki. Tongariro (snow) and Ruapehu. Ohau. Waitapu. Kapiti.Taylor, Richard, 1805-1873 :Takari, a Pukehika chief. [ca 1848].[Taylor, Richard], 1805-1873 :He korotete - a basket for fish [1840s?]Barker, Alfred Charles (Dr), 1819-1873 :South Island Maori converts to Christianity, St Stephen's Church, Tuahiwi

Journeys home and abroad

Browse all
Artist unknown :Log b[ridge] Coal Creek [ca 1900].Our Lady's Shrine - pilgrim badgeTwo illustrated lettersOur Lady's Shrine - pilgrim badgeDeveril, Herbert, 1840-1911 :Snake, a Fairlie B class locomotive built in 1874Parnell Railway Tunnel construction, Auckland - Photograph taken by Herbert DeverilDeveril, Herbert, 1840-1911 :The Sportsmans Arms, Arthur's Point and Ben Lomond, Central OtagoDiaryOverlooking Lake Wakatipu, Otago, from the summit of Mt AlfredAurora australis.Men reading newspapers during the British Antarctic Expedition (1907-1909)Diary page including sketch of an albatross caught on fishing lineArtist unknown :Sailor's kerchief. [19th century]Hodgkins, Frances Mary, 1869-1947 :Martigues. 6 February 1928 [Handpainted postcard]Chinese travel documents

Ways of looking

Browse all
Scales, Flora 1887-1985 :[Still life with oranges] 1973Tole, Charles Holbert S 1903-1988 :P. W. D. huts (Semplean mansions). 1939.Painting of Arthur's Pass by Louise HendersonHeaphy, Charles, 1820-1881 :[Shooting party], Mansion House, Kawau [Island] 1853.Group of people watching the eruption of Mount Ngauruhoe, WaikatoPeter, Juliet, 1915-2010 :Blue. [ca 1975].Gaumont Co. Ltd (London) :With Captain Scott, R.N. to the South Pole (British Antarctic Expedition) filmed by Herbert G. Ponting, F.R.G.S. "Awaiting our arrival". Authentic pictures exhibited by arrangement with the Gaumont Co. Ltd. London, holders of exclusive cinematograph rights. [1912?].Overlooking Lake Wakatipu, Otago, from the summit of Mt AlfredWoman and boy on a beachWoman with camera on tripodRonald S Badger, advertising agent and consultant, ChristchurchPiranesi, Giovanni Battista, 1720-1778 :[Carceri. Plate 13. 1760-1761] Piranesi f[ecit].Self portrait of Ans Westra; scenes at a family reunion at Ruatoria; and scenes at a tangi in HiruharamaTotal eclipse of the sun

Sublime nature

Browse all
Terraces at Rotomahana, Rotorua district - Photograph taken by Hemus and HannaMeek, James McKain, 1815-1899 :Chronological tree of New Zealand history. 1876.Artist unknown :The Poa from the bird which was brought from New Zealand by Capt Cook in his late voyage round the world, and which obtained of the Society of Arts, a premium of 30 guineas. [ca 1800]Pass, John, 1783?-1832 [engraver] :The Boa constrictor. Boa. J. Pass sculp. London, J. Wilkes, Jan. 11 1800.Pass, John, 1783?-1832 [engraver] :Genera of plants. No. 4. Botany. Plate XIV. Pass sculp. London, J. Wilkes, August 4th 1799.Backhouse, John Philemon 1843-1908 :Kingfisher, New Zealand. 9/7/ [18]73Hodges, William 1744-1797 :[Trombes de mer aupres de la Nouvelle Zelande] Engraved by D Lerpiniere; painted from nature by Wm Hodges. [Paris? 1778?]Haast, Johann Franz Julius von, 1822-1887: Rotoroa, Mount MacKay, Humbold Chaine. 25 Januar 1860Ando Hiroshige, 1797-1858 :[Awa, Naruto Whirlpools. ca 1855]Laurie, Robert ca 1775-1836 :The poa. From the bird which was brought from New Zealand by Capt. Cook in his late voyage round the world. And which obtained of the Society of Arts, a premium of 30 Guineas. - Sold at No. 1. Johnsons Court, Fleet Street, & No. 37 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden. Robt Laurie del et fec [1776][Hodges, William] 1744-1797 :[Libertia. 1773?]Mayo, Eileen Rosemary (Dame), 1906-1994 :[Drawing for Sunflowers painting. ca 1950]Mayo, Eileen Rosemary (Dame), 1906-1994 :South of France. [1947 or 1948]Pass, John, 1783?-1832 [engraver] :The palmaira tree or fan palm. Male blossom. Female blossom. Borassus. J. Pass sculp. London, J. Wilkes, May 20th 1799.Aratiatia Rapids, New Zealand. No. 146Pass, John, 1783?-1832 [engraver] :Genera of plants. No. 3. Botany. Plate XIII. Pass sculp. London, J. Wilkes, August 1st 1799.Ellis, William Wade, d 1785 :[Dead bird. 1778 or 1779]

Old and unusual

Browse all
[Artist unknown] :[Winged wall-clock]. - [ca. 1885].Maker unknown :[Three Sumerian clay tablets with cuneiform inscriptions. Between 2250 and 2100 B. C.]Hafiz, 14th century:Divan-i-HafizAnaphora of our Lady, Mary, mother of God [opening phrase of text]The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. : Newly translated out of the original Greek: and with the former translations diligently compared and revised..Buttons made by French prisoners, St HelenaCommonplace book[Gulistān] [manuscript] / Saʻdī ; Mohammad bin shaykh jalal qunūji qurayshi alsadīqi.Mansfield, Katherine 1888-1923 (Collector) :[Miniature ivory-backed hand mirror]Mansfield, Katherine 1888-1923 (Collector) :[Small ornaments, being the contents of a ceramic pill-box of Dutch origin, early twentieth century?]Koran/Qur'an (Arabic)Webster, Kenneth Athol, 1906-1967 : Fragments of the Book of the Dead 17th Chant; manuscript from the covers of a book printed at LouvainJapanese song bookRakestraw, John : Sailing and fighting instructions or signals, drawn for Mr Rowland Phillipps, by me, John RakestrawKoran/Qur'an (Arabic)Arma ChristiMaker unknown :[Gypsum slab with cuneiform inscription. ca 879 B. C.].

Tahitian sketchbook

Browse all
Artist unknown: [Sketchbook of original watercolours painted in Tahiti]Natives of Terra del FuëgoPatagonians dressed in skins. Cape Horn. Cape of Good HopeTe Po. Chief of Rarotonga. Natives of Wytoohe Island. Paumotu group. Natives of Bowditch IslandWarriors, man, woman and idol. Drummond's IslandBreadfruit, Otaheite. Circumference 13 in. Length 7 inPomare Queen of Otaheite with her husband Tamatoa in full dress, also in their usual walking costume with Aritaue their eldest sonThe island of Eimao on Morea, 14 miles from Otaheite. Taken in sailing past in the Harpley on the 12th September 1848Views at Matavai Bay, OtaheiteView of the coast between Maraa and Buunaia - OtaheiteFrench fort at Tahara, 5 miles from Papieti, OtaheitiWest coast of OtaheiteView of the valley of Papeeho also of Taiirabut. OtaheiteWest coast of Otaheite between Maraa and BuunaiaView of Taiirabut from Tiarei. OtaheiteFrench blockhouses at Buunaia on the W. coast of Otaheite. Taken from PaeaBurial place of the Otaheitans. Otaheitan pah destroyed by the FrenchView of the crown in the Fautaua valley, where the natives defended themselves against the French until taken by surprise. OtaheiteView of Taiirabut from Moro[?], also the entrance to the Bay of Taravao. OtaheiteFrench blockhouse at Tapahi. E. coast of OtaheiteView of the valley of Aidarah[?] between Papara and Maraa. OtaheiteView of the coast at Papara on the west side of OtaheiteView of Eimao and Buunaia from Maraa. OtaheiteView of the Vaiharaha at Papairiri between Taravao and Papara on the SW side of OtaheiteView of the Tahaaruu valley from the Aoropaa River near Papara. OtaheiteRiver at Papara on the S.W. side of OtaheiteView of the Crown and French forts at Buunaia. Where a strong opposition was made by the nativesRemains of a Morai temple at Buunaia formerly used for sacrifice. OtaheiteView of Taiirabut from Tiarei. OtaheiteView of a cave at Afaina - between Papara and Maraa. OtaheiteCoast between Papara and Taravao W side of OtaheiteView of the valley of Faatautia, S.E. coast of OtaheiteNative church at Hitiaa. OtaheiteFrench blockhouse at Taravao. OtaheiteView of Matavai Bay from Tahara FortView of the Onohea River on the East Coast of OtaheiteHaapapa or Point Venus. Matavai Bay. OtaheiteView of Haapapa or Point Venus from Tahara. OtaheiteMode of crossing a river on the East Side of Otaheite between Haapapa and Papinow on a raft made of Poirou woodView of a French blockhouse at Taravao from Faaona, where the islands of Taiirabut & Otaheite are connectedMissionary house at Papara. OtaheiteView of the coast at Hitiaa. OtaheiteMissionary house Hitiaa, with a timanu tree and a stone used formerly for sacrificing human beingsFrench garrison at Faaa, OthaheiteFrench blockhouse at Ahoni 12 miles from Papieti. OtaheiteEnglish soldiers at OthaheiteThe Harpley leaving Othaheite on the 12th September 1847[Views of Tahiti and outlying islands from the Harpley]Natives of Ellices Group. Natives of Aurora Island clothed in tapa. Raraka Islander.View of the valley of Fautaua. Otaheite[Depictions of Tahitian people]The house at Otaheite where Capt. Carver[?] and Dr. Wylie R.N. lived.[Tahitian phrases and their meanings]Voyage of the Harpley from Hobart Town to EnglandTahitian diary backcover

Feature image at top of page — Detail of Artist unknown :Log b(ridge) Coal Creek ca 1900. Ref: G-172. Alexander Turnbull Library.