Flagstaff Hill, Bay of Islands New Zealand

Historical NZ Art Print

Image size in millimetres: 410 x 270 - including the coloured border with the title

Entre de la Baie des Isles illustrates one of the most important historic sites in New Zealand, Flagstaff (Maiki) Hill at the northen end of the town of Russell looking across the Bay of Islands to Waitangi. Russell of the present day is situated on the site of the original Maori village of Kororareka, which as a consequence of visiting whalers and traders was the largest European settlement in New Zealand in the 1830s. In 1840 when Britain annexed New Zealand as a colony, the then Lieutenant-Governor, Captain William Hobson established the New Zealand capital some seven kilometres south of Korororeka and named it Russell. However by 1844 discontentment of British authority among Maori was spear-headed by Ngapuhi chief Hone Heke and in a move to remove the symbol of this authority cut down the flagstaff on Flagstaff Hill. Over the next eight months the flagstaff was reinstated and cut down three more times until Hone Heke’s men made a full scale assault on the township, which suffered much damage. On its rebuilding it took on the present day name of Russell.

This reproduction published by Thorndon Fine Prints is of the original lithograph taken from a painting by Louis le Breton painted in 1840, le Breton served as official artist to the French explorer J.S.C. Dumont D’Urville, on his second voyage to New Zealand on the Astrolabe during March-May of this year. It shows the then United States of America flag being flown on Flagstaff Hill. Many American vessels visited the Bay of Islands at this time, for trade and supplies, and the US flag would have been raised by the American consul to welcome one of these ships.

Find more historical NZ prints to buy like “Entry to the Bay of Islands New Zealand” in the Louis Le Breton Prints and Antique and historical NZ prints collections here at NZ largest art print gallery.