Cover: The Voyage to New Zealand (1842 - 46) 1866

Charles Meryon created this print, "Cover: The Voyage to New Zealand", between 1842 and 1846. It's an etching, a medium that allowed for detailed and precise lines, mirroring the meticulous nature of cartography and exploration. This work speaks volumes about the era of colonial expansion. It frames New Zealand as a destination, a territory to be charted and conquered. The print is full of the visual language of exploration – inscriptions, maps and ships which highlight themes of discovery, conquest and the imposition of European power onto new lands. Consider the emotional weight of such an image for the indigenous Māori population, whose lands and sovereignty were being encroached upon. How does Meryon's representation contribute to a narrative of dominance, and how might it erase or distort the realities of those who already called this land home? This print serves as a potent reminder of the stories we tell, and whose perspectives are centered in those narratives.