Te Kanawa's Goldie up for auction

'Forty Winks'. Photo / Supplied

A Charles Frederick Goldie oil on canvas owned by opera diva Kiri Te Kanawa goes under the hammer in Auckland tonight, a day after the sale of two other paintings by the renowned artist.

Forty Winks, considered one of the finest examples of Goldie's work, is a keynote piece in an auction of important, early and rare works at Auckland's International Art Centre.

Painted in 1939, Forty Winks depicts Rutene Te Uamairangi, a Kingite Warrior of Taupo, with intricate details of his moko, hand woven cloak and pounamu tiki.

Centre director Richard Thomson said the work was the finest Goldie painting to go on the market in years and had an impeccable provenance.

Dame Kiri was reassessing her collection and the painting was expected to go for a record amount, he said.

Two other Goldie works, portraits of chieftainess of Ngaheke or Perira te Kahikura, and chieftainess Whiripine Ninia, sold for $170,000 and $120,000 respectively at Wellington auction house Dunbar Sloane last night.

Goldie died at his Remuera home in Auckland in 1947.

- NZPA