Robley: Te Ropere, 1840—1930
Non-New Zealand Subjects
Non-New Zealand Subjects
180. Madras Sepoy, 1859
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ink/wash on yellow paper
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221 × 175 mm.
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ATL Picture Collection E 28/4
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Provenance: Webster Collection; purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, ? hand) bottom
“Madras Sepoy 1859 -”
Notes: A Sepoy is an Indian horseman or (as in this case) soldier, employed in European service.
181. On the old Kashmir Road, 1889
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black w/c & pencil on green paper
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221 × 175 mm.
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ATL Picture Collection E 28/16
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Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966
Inscriptions
Recto: (w/c, R's hand) lower page
“on the old/ Kashmir Road 1889.”
182. The Girl I left behind me
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blac w/c & ink/wash on green paper
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221 × 175 mm.
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sign.: (ink) lower right corner “[L.H.R.]”
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ATL Picture Collection E 28/3
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Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom
The Girl I left behind me.”
183. Burmese Girls
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ink/washon yellow paper
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221 × 175 mm.
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ATL Collection E 28/5
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Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand)lower page
“-Burmese Girls -”
184. Hill Karens
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ink/wash on green paper
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221 × 175 mm.
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ATL Collection E 28/9
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Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom centre
“Hill Karens”
Note: The Karens are the people of the inland Karens states of Burma.
185. The Monkey Woman of Ava
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ink on yellow paper
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221 × 175 mm.
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ATL Picture Collection E 28/7
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Provenance: Webster Collection; purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom
“The Monkey woman of Ava’
Note: Ava is in Burma.
186. Voltzieur
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ink/wash on yellow paper
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221 × 175 mm.
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ATL Picture Collection E 28/11
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Provenance: Webster Collection; purchased Bethune's Auction, 1966
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower centre
“Voltizieur”
(ink, R's hand) lower right “[H.R.]”
Notes: This is a misspelling of Voltigeur; a skirmisher or Light Infantry soldier.
187. Arabian Jew selling Ostrich feathers (1886)
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w/c on white cart.
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95 × 77 mm.
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NMNZ Collection FA 1894
Inscriptions
Verso: (ink, R's hand) whole page
“H. Robley/ 91 Curragh Camp/ Arabian Jew/ selling Ostrich/ feathers boa/ muff &c/ Aden/ Nb observe the/ natural curl/ & hat.”
Notes: Robley passed through the Suez Cannal in 1886 after a period of home leave. He rejoined his Regiment (91st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) in Ceylon on 7th June, 1886. [Fildes : 1921. p.129].
188. The troops being withdrawn (Mauritius Militia)
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gouache on cardboard
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378 × 448 mm.
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sign.: (ink) lower right corner “H.G. Robley [illeg.] 1st Asst.”
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ATL Picture Collection B 77e/9
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Provenance: Lady McLean Collection
Inscriptions
Recto: (w/c, R's hand) top
“The Troops being withdrawn No. Lt. Copl. Cartridge, thoroughly conversant with duties/ of Drill, orderly room Quarter Master & Payments School. Musketry. Cookery/ hasty entrenchments &c& German/ Hindustani Indian Japanese Kamskatchan, Latin, Madrassce, Negro. Otaheite Parsee Quanko Sambo/ Russian, Sumali, Teloogoo, Uganada &C, &c, &c,/ Wech, X Yexidi, Zulu/ is appointed Instructor/ to the Mauritius Militia-.”
Verso: (pencil, ? hand) lower left
“From Lady McLean”
Notes: Robley was stationed in Mauritius with his Regiment (the 91st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), During 1880–81.
189. On road to Kandy
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w/c & pencil on white paper
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226 × 287 mm.
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ATL Picture Collection A80/10
Inscriptions
Recto: (w/c R's hand) bottom left
“on road to Kandy”
Verso: (ink, R's hand) upper page
“Rapid Sketching/ taken from Railway train stoping high over the plain of ricefields “Adams Peak” in distance/ drawn by Lt. Col. Robley/ A & S Highers/ 1887.”
Notes: Kandy is in Ceylon. The 91st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were stationed there 1886–1887.
190. Loyals in the Reserve Territory — Zululand
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black w/c & ink/wash on white paper
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202 × 303 mm.
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sign.: (ink lower right “H.G. Robley”
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APL Collections
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand)bottom
“Loyals in the Reserve/ Terriory- Zuzluland septr 1884/ Red Bands on heads to distinguish.”
Verso: (ink, R's hand) whole page
“copy of drawing/ seen with great/ interest in old memories/ of 1884
“Allenby FM 1924 copy Stanley Hotel
Stanley Perthshire
23 Augt 1924Dear General Robley,
Many thanks for your letting me see/ the drawing of the Zulu Impi/ it is life like, I remember the Impi, and/ gives vividly the idea and impression of/ a crowd in movement
I have signed it as desired by you-/ with best rememberances/and with all good wishes
Yrs sincerly,
Allenby”
Notes: Captain Edmund Allenby, of the Enniskillen Dragoons, fought with Robley against the Zulu (under the chief Usibehu). Allenby later became a Field Marshall Viscount. [Fildes:1921. p. 124].
191. Formosan woman playing nose flute (1910)
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w/c & ink on white paper
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325 × 202 mm.
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Hocken Library Collection MS 623
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Provenance: Hocken Collection
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) whole page
“Sketch of Formosan woman playing nose flute/ at Japanese Exhibition London, 1910/ (By Major-General Robley).
Till Formosa was/ occupied by Japan, the/ people were fierce, and great/ head hunters./ Formosan nose flute/-/ at the Japan Exhibition a/ musician who played the nose/ (a light reed) flute and was sketched by M. General Robley — The music was feeble and had a plaintive/ air. old pictures of NZd have given Maori musicians and/ nose flutes — see NZd Illd — an old book.
The Ainu have been protected and preserved by Japan/ Govt. but there has been/ no increase since 1882/ The men of this strange/ people have long flowing/ hair & beards./ The women tatu about around the lips/ this device/ [sketch]/ correct/ tika/ -/ G. Robley/ tatu was/ pricked in/ not cut -./ vide tatued lips and around/ -/ Ainu woman/ This was sketched/ from a young woman, the belle of the party at the Japan/ Exhibition/ by G.R./ was about sixteen.”
NB: A second example of this subject, more highly finished and without such extensive inscription, is housed in the same Archives Collection. (Details of dimensions, medium/support are as above.)
192. Tipperary
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ink/wash on white paper
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177 × 255 mm.
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sign.: (ink) lower right corner “H.G. Robley”
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APL Collection NZ Prints 593
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom
“Tipperary in French, Maori, Indian.”
Verso: (ink, R's hand) whole page
“c'est/ — First song of the Great War -/ The Maori rendering was early sent to artist/ by Colonel Porter CB NZ forces, it was of/ greatest interest to meet in London descendants of fighters against us — some of/ them with/ historic names.
I gave one trooper from Tauranga, an old/portrait taken of a relation of his, to show/ the tribe for “tangi” (cry over) H.G. Robley/M.”
Notes: “Tipperary” was one of Robley's favourite subjects for postcards. Under sketches of soldiers from a number of countries, he inscribed native-language versions of the World War I song “It's a long, long way to Tipperary.”
“I have written to Col. T.E. Lawrence of “Arabia” to get a verse of war song for my picture set.” [Robley-Taine:1927 T.E.R. Hodgson Collection]
page break193a. [Kruger]
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black w/c & ink/wash on white cart.
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image: 168 × 127 mm.
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support: 232 × 186 mm.
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ATL Picture Collection A 80/225.
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Accn. No.: 76–161
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower page
“The New Zealand troops did not expect to see the President/ of the Transvaal decorated like the late Maori King, but/ it cannot be denied that the immense amount of cheek/ would lend itself to vast designs in tattooing/ meandering like his own in tortuous lines.”
193b. Mr. Kruger as a Maori Chief
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ink/wash on white paper
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146 × 110 mm. (sight)
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HBAGM Collection MMC 814
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Presented by Lady McLean, Napier, 1930's
193c. [Kruger]
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ink & pencil on white paper
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image: 145 × 110 mm.
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support: 200 × 165 mm.
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NMNZ Collection (no class.)
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Provenance: Webster Collection, presented by T. Barrow, Wellington
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower page
[as per a) above]
Verso: (pencil, ? hand) bottom
“From K.A. Webster to T. Barrow 1957.”
193d. [Kruger]
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black w/c & ink wash on white cart.
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image: 164 × 127 mm.
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support: 252 × 157 mm.
VUW Collection Fildes NZ Portoflio No/4.
Presented to Horace Fildes, by the Artist, c. 1920
Inscriptions
Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower page
[as per a) above]
Notes: “The heavy visage had … so impressed me that I took a library with it in the direction of doing a head sketch of him showing his face wholly tattooed à la Maori, and surmouted by his famous tall hat; and this curious picture emblematic of New Zealand's participation in the Boer War was copied into the London Daily Mail” [Fildes:1921. p. 119].