The Rev. J. Waterhouse Superintending the Landing of Missionaries at Taranaki

Surprisingly few depictions of European immigrants arriving in New Zealand exist within our art history. This Baxter print depicts the arrival of the Rev. Charles and Mrs Creed at Taranaki. Reproduced in the Wesleyan Missionary Societies’ Journal, the accompanying text described the “Seven native females in a transport of joy, anxiously carrying Mrs Creed with the greatest care to the shore.” Indeed the rapturous reception they receive may well have been intended to convince potential missionaries of the welcome they might hope for.

The inaccuracies in the print – including the shape of Mt Taranaki, the dress and appearance of the Māori – reflect the fact that the artist never visited New Zealand. (Picturing History, 2009)

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