Born in the UK in 1849, Charles Hemus worked in Auckland as a photographer and portrait painter. He opened a photographic studio in Auckland in 1875. As a painter he frequently painted maori subjects and regularly exhibited at the Society of Artists in 1875 and intermittently with the Auckland Society of Arts between 1881 and 1910. His work was shown in Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London in 1886. He was vice-regal photographer to seven successive Governors of New Zealand.
We have records of art auction sales by Charles Hemus from 1993 and in total 23 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 18 (78%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $4,916 for Portrait of Princess Ahiri sold by Webb's in December 2002. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2021. Works by Charles Hemus are held by the Museum Of New Zealand.
Charles Hemus is listed in the following standard biographical references:
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