Famous Maori portraits will leave Aotearoa shores for the first time for to be exhibited in Europe.
The Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tamaki, will tour 48 Gottfried Lindauer paintings to Berlin and Pilsen in the Czech Republic from November.
Gottfried Lindauer, Anehana 1897, oil on canvas, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Mr H E Partridge, 1915 Photo: SUPPLIED
The 19th century painter was renowned for life-like portraits of Maori, who usually were of prominence within their hapu and iwi.
The touring paintings will include 44 of the Auckland Gallery's collection and 4 from Te Papa Tongarewa, and their displays will start at Berlin's National Museum then go to the Gallery of West Bohemia in Pilsen, which is Lindauer's hometown.
Toi o Tamaki's indigenous curator, Ngahiraka Mason, says the tour required deep consideration as they are a major attraction of the gallery.
But she says the time seems fitting for Lindauer's portraits to travel to places where he studied and visited.
Ms Mason says the paintings will receive a fitting poroporoaki or farewell in November and whakatau or a welcoming at each destination.