Te Papa art exhibition Buller’s Birds: The Art of Keulemans and Buchanan opens 10th May, 2026 at Cobblestones showcasing exhibition prints of illustrations from New Zealand’s most famous books on native birds, opens at the Cobblestones on 10th May, 2026.
Te Papa Curator of Historical New Zealand Art Dr Rebecca Rice says the illustrations are accompanied by examples of Buller’s publications, along with specimens of the illustrated birds.
“Given how wonderfully clear and true to life the illustrations are, it’s incredible to think Keulemans and Buchanan most often worked from bird skins, rather than observations in the wild,” Dr Rice says.
The exhibition is open daily and runs until 29th July.
Entry to the Exhibition is included in Cobblestones normal admission fee.
Credit: Johannes G Keulemans, ‘Stitchbird, Pogonornis cincta (male and female)’, 1873. Photograph from A History of the Birds of New Zealand, 1st edition, Te Papa (1992-0035-1094/2)
Credit: Callaeas cinerea North Island kokako., 1865 -1882, by John Buchanan. Te Papa (1992-0035-2279/34)
Credit: Johannes G Keulemans, ‘Ruru, morepork, Spiloglaux Novae Zealandiae, and whekau, laughing owl Sceloglaux albifacies’ 1873. Photograph from A History of the Birds of New Zealand, 1st edition, Te Papa (1992-0035-1093/3)
