IDNO

P.87206.VH

Description

Studio portrait of “Ratu Savanaca [Ratu Savenaca], Cakobau’s brother”, sporting the flamboyant sweeping moustache and sideburns favoured by many chiefs from the late 1860’s through to about 1900. He is typically dressed as a Christian chief of his day, wearing a white jersey-type shirt with three-quarter length sleeves and a barkcloth isulu surmounted by a large waistband of gatu barkcloth wrapped just beneath the ribs in the Tongan fashion favoured by high chiefs when not actively engaged, and favoured by Christianity.
Circa 1869-1871. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka; Bau

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Ratu Savenaca

Photographer

Dufty Brothers, Levuka (Dufty, Francis Herbert)

Collector / Expedition

?von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1869 - 1871

Collection Name

Source

Format

Carte-de-visite; Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.87203 to P.87221 were in the Museum’s paper archive envelope, OA2/5/12, which has now been re-numbered C511/.

Photographer: This print was provisionally attributed to “?Dufty Brothers, Levuka”, but Dufty’s Levuka studio is recognisable through the backdrop of foliage of banana? leaves to the right. The same chair also appears in a number of Dufty’s portraits. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1869 - 1875. The Photographer and Place fields have been amended accordingly. [JD 12/3/2012]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Program One. [A. Nadin 2/7/2003]