Self Portrait of Te Pehi Kupe, 1826Chieftain Pehi Kupe’s self-portrait was made during a trip
Self Portrait of Te Pehi Kupe, 1826Chieftain Pehi Kupe’s self-portrait was made during a trip to Liverpool, England, to obtain European arms to take back to New Zealand. It is the chieftain’s statement of the supreme importance of the tattoo design that symbolizes his rank among his people. Remarkably, Te Pehi Kupe created the tattoo patterns from memory, without the aid of a mirror. The splendidly composed insignia, presented as a flat design separated from the body and even from the head, is Te Pehi Kupe’s image of himself. (x) -- source link
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