Request to take mystery Goldie painting out of New Zealand under consideration

The identity of the painting remains a secret, with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage only confirming it was not A Noble Relic of a Noble Race, above. Photo/ supplied

The Government is deliberating about whether to let a mystery buyer take a painting by one of New Zealand's best known historical artists overseas.

The anonymous buyer has applied to take a Charles F Goldie painting offshore but the Ministry of Culture and Heritage may decline the application, Fairfax reported.

It was considering whether laws allowing authorities to block culturally significant artefacts from being taken out of the country should be applied in this instance.

Like the buyer, the identity of the painting and the country it may be taken to are shrouded in secrecy.

The only thing the Ministry of Culture and Heritage would confirm was that the work was not A Noble Relic of a Noble Race, 1941, Goldie's last painting before his death, which sold for a record $1.175 million last April.

The Chinese buyer of A Noble Relic would have to ask permission to take it out of New Zealand.

He did not want to comment at the time about whether he would try to do so.

The revelations come a week after thieves smashed their way into a Parnell gallery and stole two Gottfried Lindauer paintings valued collectively at nearly $1 million. Police are still trying to track down the paintings and catch the culprits.

Ngati Manawa elder Pem Bird told Fairfax if he was a descendant of a Goldie portrait's subject he would not want it to leave the country.

"This is a classic example of two cultures clashing. I would venture to suggest that if my people knew that was going to be the outcome they would not have agreed for themselves to be painted. It is as simple as that - if [they knew] it was to be sold to the highest bidder and to be taken outside the country."

He said he hoped the painting would not be allowed to leave the country.

"It would be great for all for our taonga to be protected."