Barnett Burns by Lester Hall

Contemporary Edition

Image size in millimetres: 485 x 330
Signed edition on Epson Velvet fine art paper using K3 archival inks. Studio printed by contemporary NZ print-maker Lester Hall

This print has been archived by the artist and is no longer available. Barnett Burns (1805 - 1860), English sailor who was one of the earliest Europeans to live an extraordinary life as a Pakeha Maori and to receive the full Maori facial tattoo. Lester says "This image is in reference to an early pen and ink drawing of the actual man. Pakeha Maori is a term used to describe early European settlers who lived among the Maori and took on the Maori lifestyle. Some were kept as slaves, many being runaway seamen or escaped convicts while some achieved a degree of prestige among Maori and fought in battle with their adopted tribe in the New Zealand land wars, sometimes against European soldiers. Burns is one of the latter and is well remembered on the East Coast and has descendants there. He escaped his antipodean life and returned to Europe in 1835 spending time and marrying in France after which he settled in England where he described the customs of the Maori, performed the haka, exhibited his Maori tattoo (Moko) and recounted his adventures in New Zealand."

Like this Lester Hall print? You will find more prints like Barnett Burns by Lester Hall in these collections at New Zealand's specialist art print store:

Lester Hall Prints
Editions by New Zealand Printmakers
Maori Design