Tāne Mahuta

Original painting SOLD, acrylic and flashe on paper, 300 x 300mm, 2013

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Print sizes and editions (limited to 75)

• Regular museum archival paper print - 550 x 550mm

Your unique limited edition fine art print

1. Sofia Minson creates your exclusive signed print
2. We ship for $25 in NZ and from $50 internationally
3. Your artwork arrives rolled, ready to be framed - do you need help? Request framing guidance

The story of Tāne Mahuta

God of the forest and progenitor of mankind Tāne Mahuta stands strong in this prehistoric New Zealand forest in the form of a giant, gnarled old kauri tree. Kauri can attain heights of 40 to 50 metres and trunk diameters of over 5 metres. They can live longer than 600 years and many kauri probably exceed 1000 years. There is even some evidence that they can exceed 2000 years in age.

Pouakai eagles fly through the forest acting as guardians. They were a native bird with the world's largest wingspan of over 3 metres that went extinct c.1400 A.D. 

Long ago Ranginui (sky father) and Papatūānuku (earth mother) clung together in a close embrace and Tāne was one of 70 sons born into the dark, confined realm between them. Yearning for more air, space and light in which to live, Tāne braced his back against the earth and feet against the sky and pushed, separating his parents. Only in this new world of light could all other living things such as birds, forests and mankind, exist. Tāne went on to fashion the first human; he adorned the heavens, and brought the baskets of knowledge, wisdom and understanding down from the sky to human beings. 

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Sofia Minson Paintings | New Zealand Artwork | Tane Mahuta