The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Object: Otago Peninsula
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© Courtesy of the Colin McCahon Research and Publication Trust
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Title / object name  Otago Peninsula
Maker  Role  Date  
McCahon, Colin  artist  1946  
Medium Summary  oil on hardboard
Materials  oil paint, gesso, hardboard
Dimensions
Image  887 (Height) x 2105 (Length) x mm
Frame  965 (Height) x 2186 (Length) x 50 (Width/Depth) mm
Classification  paintings
Registration Number  1992-0012-1
Credit Line
Purchased 1992 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds

Otago Peninsula was familiar territory for Colin McCahon, who grew up in Dunedin and later attended art school there.

In describing his work, McCahon said, ‘I saw something logical, orderly and beautiful belonging to the land … My work has largely been to communicate this vision and invent a way to see it.’ Here he has painted the peninsula stripped of details, its bare forms exposed.

Otago Peninsula was commissioned by Mario and Hilda Fleischl, early supporters of McCahon. It was his first commission – proof that although some New Zealanders found his art difficult, others were ready to take up its challenge.

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This electronic record was created from historic documentation. It may not necessarily reflect the best available knowledge about the collection item. Some collection images are created for identification purposes only and therefore may not be of reproduction quality. Some images are not available due to copyright restrictions. If you have additional information or questions about objects in the collection, we encourage you to contact us.