Portrait of Mrs W. Collins

Text originally created for Tūrangawaewae: Art and New Zealand exhibition at Te Papa, March 2018.

On this wall, women are often subjects, but seldom artists.

Margaret Carpenter is the exception. A talented and successful portrait painter, she exhibited at London’s prestigious Royal Academy – but as a woman, was barred from becoming a member.

Here, she has painted her sister Harriet’s mother-in-law. Margaret Collins was a formidable woman who had opposed Harriet’s marriage to her son. But by 1826, she was living with the couple and her 2-year-old grandson – later, the English writer Wilkie Collins.

I tēnei pakitara, ehara ngā wāhine i te ringatoi, he mea kē hei tā mā rātou.

Hāunga ko Margaret Carpenter. He mātanga kōwaiwai kiritangata ia i whakaatu i āna mahi ki te Royal Academy i Rānana – heoi, kāore ia i whai mematanga, i te mea he wahine ia.

Anei tana peitatatanga o te hungarei o tōna tuakana a Harriet. He tino wahine a Margaret Collins, kāore ia i whakaae ki te mārenatanga o tana tama ki a Harriet. Heoi, i te tau 1826, i noho tahi rātou ko tana mokopuna, e rua tau te pakeke. Ko Wilkie Collins te mokopuna, he kaituhi nō Ingarangi.