Merryn Schriever
Managing Director, Australia
Lot 41
Mithinari Gurruwiwi(1929-1976)Garamula Billabong, early 1960s
1 December 2015, 18:30 AEDT
Melbourne, ArmadaleSold for AU$5,490 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our Australian Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
Alex Clark
Head of Sale, Senior Specialist
Mithinari Gurruwiwi (1929-1976)
Garamula Billabong, early 1960s
natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
86.0 x 67.0cm (33 7/8 x 26 3/8in).
natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
86.0 x 67.0cm (33 7/8 x 26 3/8in).
Footnotes
PROVENANCE
Private collection, Melbourne
The descriptive label attached verso reads: 'This painting is sacred to the Galbu tribe, and the scene is situated at Blue Mud Bay at the large billabong "Garumala". The large snake in the centre is a poisonous type - Widij. All the small black snakes (bural) are the offspring of this large one. This snake has come to drink with its offspring. The elliptical yellow objects are a grub or caterpillar "dabal", which the snake eats.
The yellow snake is another vaiety [sic] and harmless, and makes a good food. The spotted objects are a type of water lily. The centre part is the flower and the spotted radials are fruit growing from it. The hatching is swamp and the two sets of cross lines are stream...of water'.