The Passing of the Forest
Richard Wolfe
Distinguished cultural historian brings eye-opening reflections on deforestation through the lens of works by New Zealand and Australian artists
‘Although New Zealand was the last sizeable habitable landmass to be settled by humans … the impact on its native forest has been little short of dramatic.’
That upheaval, the radical changes to our landscape, and the consequences we live with today form the narrative of this handsome book of art and historical commentary.
Cultural and art historian Richard Wolfe profiles the clearing of native forests in a striking visual history through art, from the nineteenth century to today.
The Passing of the Forest explores how large areas of forests were burned by Māori, and then European settlers — lured to New Zealand by the promise of an inexhaustible supply of timber.
The book draws parallels with colonisation in Australia, showing how deforestation has impacted on leading artists and thinkers, and explores ways forward to replace what has been lost.
Featuring more than 50 works by New Zealand and Australian artists in vivid colour reproductions, this book is a timely exploration of environmental loss and the human impact on New Zealand’s forests.
Artists featured range from Charles Heaphy and Augustus Earle to Doris Lusk, Emily Karaka and Dick Frizzell.
The cover features a very recent work by Frizzell — Milling Whakaangiangi, from 2025. Dick Frizzell made this comment on The Passing of the Forest:
‘Purists tend to view prehistory New Zealand as one long forest, bristling like two gentleman’s hair brushes laid top to toe. Richard’s exhaustive research points out that the topography of the two islands simply couldn’t permit such a romantic view. Richard lays it all out: from destruction to reforestation. The myths and the truth.’
The author
Richard Wolfe has written or co-authored some 40 books that document aspects of New Zealand's art, history, and popular culture, including Footprints on the Land (Oratia Books, 2022) and Kiwi: A Curious Case of National Identity (2024). A frequent contributor to Art New Zealand and other publications, he lives with his artist wife Pamela in Ponsonby, Auckland.
Publication Date: 8 October 2026 | ISBN: 9781991353054 | RRP $75.00
Hardback, 280 x 210 mm, 220 pages, colour
