New Zealand Graphic and Descriptive. Wairarapa Lake. (1877)

We are delighted to feature in our collection the exquisite lithograph "New Zealand Graphic and Descriptive. Wairarapa Lake" crafted by the talented Charles Decimus Barraud. Created in 1877, this piece provides us with a breathtaking glimpse into the serene and rustic beauty of New Zealand's Wairarapa region during the 19th century.The artwork casts a sprawling view over Lake Wairarapa, surrounded by lush, uneven terrain. The composition skillfully balances a rich foreground filled with verdant native bush and towering trees, which gently recedes to unveil the expansive lake in the middle distance. Beyond the lake, rolling hills rise gradually to meet the soft, cloud-filled sky, offering a sense of vast, open space.A central feature of the painting outlines a pastoral scene, where humans and animals coexist harmoniously with nature—a thematic hallmark of Barraud’s work. In the middle ground, one can notice a small group of settlers, horses, and carts, suggesting the European settlement and the agricultural utilization of the land during this period.Barraud's adept use of color and detail not only captures the natural landscape's tranquility but also highlights the interactions between the land’s indigenous flora and its new settlers. This painting not only serves as a vivid depiction of the New Zealand landscape but also as a historical record of cultural and environmental intersections during an era of significant change.