Important painting returned to nz

One of renowned artist Colin McCahon's most important works is on its way back to New Zealand after 12 years in a private collection in Australia...

The Te Papa Museum in Wellington, New Zealand has announced its successful bid for Colin McCahon's painting, Mondrian's Last Chrysanthemum for £131,242.

Deutscher and Hackett, who auctioned the work, predicted it would sell for between between £107,100 and £124,950.

McCahon, who died in 1987, is regarded as one of the most important modern artists New Zealand has produced, particularly in his landscape work.

The painting is one of five in a series collectively known as the Scared series and is said to depict a vision of nuclear annihilation.

Te Papa's Director of art and collection services Jonathan Mane-Wheoki said he was thrilled the painting would be returning to New Zealand.

"The series Scared is widely regarded as one of McCahon's signature sets of works and it's wonderful to know that Mondrian's Last Chrysanthemum will form part of the national collection," he said.

Te Papa also owns Scared (I am Scared, I stand up), purchased for £214,200.

New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Gallery owns one of the paintings, Am I Scared, while the other two works from the series are held in private collections in New Zealand and Switzerland.

Te Papa's curator of historical New Zealand art William McAloon said the painting was an important work.

"This painting is a powerful statement about the threat of nuclear war. It exemplifies some of the major themes in McCahon's work - doubt and hope, life and death - and it is also one of his most beautiful works," he said.

When spoken to by before the sale, Te Papa declined to comment on whether or not it would be bidding for the piece, saying it was standard practice.

A Te Papa spokeswoman said the price paid for the painting fell in the middle range of independent valuations commissioned by Te Papa.

McCahon's work has sold for as high as five million dollars in the past, according to a New Zealand art expert.

The painting will be put on display to the public as soon as possible.

Source: www.stuff.co.nz