Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 25 works by Nicholas Chevalier in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Nicholas Chevalier left, the most famous is Hinemoa, the Maori girl (1880), in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Close behind it come Race to the market, Tahiti (1880) and Self portrait (1857). Our catalog holds 25 works by Nicholas Chevalier; the gallery has kept the 21 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
The oil painting titled Hinemoa, the Maori girl was executed by the Russian-born artist Nicholas Chevalier. Created about 1880, the work depicts a Maori woman named Hinemoa. The subject is a woman of the Te Arawa people. This specific figure is recognized in Māori tradition for her swim across the waters of Lake Rotorua to Mokoia island to reach Tūtānekai.
In this 1880 oil painting, two outrigger canoes navigate through turquoise and cerulean waters. The composition follows a diagonal path from the lower right toward the left midground, creating a sense of movement across the sea. Figures within the vessels transport various goods, including tropical fruits and shells. The water's surface reflects the midday sun, producing bright highlights and soft shadows. In the background, vertical palm trees and jagged mountain…
This oil on canvas work is titled "Self portrait" and was executed by the artist Nicholas Chevalier. The painting, created in 1857, presents a close-up view of the artist's head and shoulders. The subject is positioned slightly off-center within the frame, looking directly toward the viewer with a piercing gaze. The composition focuses on the facial features and the textures of the subject's beard and clothing.
In the vast, sun-drenched expanse of the mid-19th century landscape, Nicholas Chevalier captures more than just a moment in time; he captures the very essence of human ambition. Memorandum of the Start of the Exploring Expedition serves as a breathtaking window into an era defined by discovery and the relentless pursuit of the unknown. The painting presents a sweeping historical tableau where a group of intrepid travelers, mounted on sturdy…
This evocative watercolor by Nicholas Chevalier transports the viewer directly to a sun-drenched stretch of New Zealand coastline around 1875. The scene is imbued with the quiet rhythm of leisure, capturing a moment where human activity harmoniously intersects with the vast, untamed power of nature. One can almost hear the gentle lapping of waves against the sand and feel the warmth of the coastal breeze. Chevalier masterfully frames this idyllic…
In the delicate, translucent layers of The Five Rivers Plains and the course of River Oreti, Southland, we are transported back to the year 1866, witnessing a moment of profound stillness in the New Zealand landscape. Nicholas Chevalier, a master of capturing the atmospheric nuances of the colonial frontier, presents us with a watercolor that breathes with the vitality of the natural world. The composition unfolds across the vast, grassy…
Noon Cannon by Nicholas Chevalier presents a meticulously crafted diorama centered on a brass astronomical clock, or quadrant, and a small, antique cannon. These objects rest upon a circular marble base featuring detailed markings in Latin. The composition focuses directly on the relationship between these two instruments, emphasizing their geometric forms and the precision of their construction. The arrangement highlights the intersection of 18th-century scientific inquiry and military technology.
The Review in Windsor Great Park in Honour of the Shah of Persia, 24 June 18731877 · Royal Collection
12
Harvest1873 · National Museum in Kraków
13
Sandfly Bay, Otago1879 · Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
14
'Thanksgiving Day': The Procession to St Paul's Cathedral, 27 February 1872Royal Collection
15
Mt Earnslaw and Lake DiamondTe Whare O Rehua Sarjeant Gallery
16
Cape Girão, Madeira1895 · Art Gallery of New South Wales
17
Kapiti1868 · Te Papa
18
Cook Strait, New Zealand1884 · Te Papa
19
Kapiti1868 · Te Papa
20
Near Paekakariki, Cook Strait1868 · Te Papa
21
The Marriage of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, 23 January 18741874 · Royal Collection
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Nicholas Chevalier | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Te Papa |
Wellington | 8 | Cook, The Five Rivers Plains and the course of River Oreti, Southland, Sketch at Maxwell |
 Art Gallery of New South Wales |
Sydney | 3 | Race to the market, Tahiti, Self portrait, Cape Girão, Madeira |
 Royal Collection |
London | 3 | The Review in Windsor Great Park in Honour of the Shah of Persia, 24 June 1873, 'Thanksgiving Day': The Procession to St Paul's Cathedral, 27 February 1872, The Marriage of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, 23 January 1874 |
 National Gallery of Australia |
Canberra | 1 | Hinemoa, the Maori girl |
 Art Gallery of South Australia |
Adelaide | 1 | Memorandum of the Start of the Exploring Expedition |
 National Watch - Clock Museum |
Colombia | 1 | Noon Cannon |
 National Gallery of Victoria |
Melbourne | 1 | The Buffalo Ranges |
 National Museum in Kraków |
Krakow | 1 | Harvest |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
This oil on canvas work is titled "Self portrait" and was executed by the artist Nicholas Chevalier. The painting, created in 1857, presents a close-up view of the artist's head and shoulders. The subject is positioned slightly off-center within the frame, looking directly toward the viewer with a piercing gaze. The composition focuses on the facial features and the textures of the subject's beard and clothing.
In the vast, sun-drenched expanse of the mid-19th century landscape, Nicholas Chevalier captures more than just a moment in time; he captures the very essence of human ambition. Memorandum of the Start of the Exploring Expedition serves as a breathtaking window into an era defined by discovery and the relentless pursuit of the unknown. The painting presents a sweeping historical tableau where a group of intrepid travelers, mounted on sturdy…
This evocative watercolor by Nicholas Chevalier transports the viewer directly to a sun-drenched stretch of New Zealand coastline around 1875. The scene is imbued with the quiet rhythm of leisure, capturing a moment where human activity harmoniously intersects with the vast, untamed power of nature. One can almost hear the gentle lapping of waves against the sand and feel the warmth of the coastal breeze. Chevalier masterfully frames this idyllic…
The oil painting titled Hinemoa, the Maori girl was executed by the Russian-born artist Nicholas Chevalier. Created about 1880, the work depicts a Maori woman named Hinemoa. The subject is a woman of the Te Arawa people. This specific figure is recognized in Māori tradition for her swim across the waters of Lake Rotorua to Mokoia island to reach Tūtānekai.
During the 1880s Nicholas Chevalier’s health began to decline and severe gout in his right hand interrupted his ability to paint for long periods. In an attempt to relieve his condition Chevalier and his wife spent winters on the island of Madeira in Portugal, where his final watercolours were made. This watercolour was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1895, shortly before Chevalier was obliged to give up painting altogether,…
Hinemoa, the Maori girl (1880), National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Race to the market, Tahiti (1880) and Self portrait (1857) come next.
52 years old: Hinemoa, the Maori girl dates from 1880, and Nicholas Chevalier was born in 1828.
Hinemoa, the Maori girl, Race to the market, Tahiti, Self portrait, Memorandum of the Start of the Exploring Expedition, Cook, The Five Rivers Plains and the course of River Oreti, Southland, Noon Cannon, The Buffalo Ranges, Sketch at Maxwell and Sketch of soldiers manning a redoubt. From: journal made on a visit to the disturbed District of. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 25 works by Nicholas Chevalier, dated from 1857 to 1895.
Mostly in Te Papa (Wellington), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney) and Royal Collection (London). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1860s: 8 of the 21 works on this page were made then, Memorandum of the Start of the Exploring Expedition among them.
On this page, the earliest is Self portrait (1857) and the latest Cape Girão, Madeira (1895).
Landscape (3), Mountains (3) and Canoe (2), across the 21 works on this page.
Watercolor, for 4 of the 21 works on this page.
Realism, judging by the originals on this page.
Cook, The Five Rivers Plains and the course of River Oreti, Southland and Sketch at Maxwell: the Te Papa, Wellington holds 8 of the works on this page.
