Reverie, Ena te Papatahi, a Ngapuhi Chieftainess (Ina Te Papatahi, Nga Puhi)

The most expensive of the seven portraits (which included the smaller panel, The Last of the Tohungas (Wharekauri Tahuna), 1916) exhibited by Goldie at the Auckland Society of Arts in 1916. Ina Te Papatahi was one of Goldie's most often painted models, Taylor and Glen listing 18 portraits of her dating between 1902 and 1937: 'Ina (Ena) te Papatahi was a Ngapuhi chieftainess from the Hokianga who was a niece of two noted chiefs, Tamay Waaka Nene, and Patuone. Ina came to Auckland in 1866 after she had been widowed and was being forced by her family to take a new husband whom she didn't care for. She lived at Orekai village, Auckland, and looked after the old chief Eru Patuone until his death. During the last years of her life, Ina lived at the Maori Hostel with her cousin, Harata (Charlotte) Charlotte Rewiri Tarapata. Ina was a familiar figure around Auckland until her death about 1910. Ina was one of Goldie's favourite sitters. He first painted her in 1902 and she appears on over eighteen portraits. Ina always took an interest in the painting of her portrait, but was usually puzzled by the foreshortening of her face. She commented once, "Ach, too much like the bulldog." (A. Taylor and J. Glen, op. cit., p.138.)