- 20
Mijau Mijau
bidding is closed
Description
Mijau Mijau
circa 1897-1985
Three Dancing Women 1958
Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
Bears Bennett collection number 2 and catalogue number E2 together with extensive documentation on label on reverse
95.5 by 44cm
Provenance:
According to the accompanying documentation, this painting was acquired from Mijau Mijau at Croker Island in 1958
Cf. O'Ferrall, M., Keepers of the Secrets, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, 1990, p.42, nos. 44, 45 for two paintings depicting similar figures.
Berndt, R & C., Aboriginal Australian Art: A Visual Perspective, Methuen Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney, 1982, p.46, pl.25 for a closely related example entitled 'Dancing Women'.
The documentation reads in part: 'Mimis (sic) live within the rocks, and are so shy that they hide there all through the day, only emerging at night time to sing and dance, play and make love, hunt and fish.
At dawn they run back inside the rocks and pull the rock door shut after them.
In this painting the artist has depicted three Mimi (sic) women dancing. The design on their bodies is the artist's clan design and similar to his own body painting design in sacred ceremonies.'
According to Berndt, this painting does not depict Mimih Spirits. Commenting on the related example, he states: 'It depicts four women in the old East Alligator River style. The positioning of their arms suggest dancing movement. The designs on their bodies could be incipient x-ray relevant to the backbone, but are more likely to be ochre decorations. On some occasions this has been categorised under Mimih art. In this case however it is not'.
AU$ 8,000-12,000
circa 1897-1985
Three Dancing Women 1958
Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
Bears Bennett collection number 2 and catalogue number E2 together with extensive documentation on label on reverse
95.5 by 44cm
Provenance:
According to the accompanying documentation, this painting was acquired from Mijau Mijau at Croker Island in 1958
Cf. O'Ferrall, M., Keepers of the Secrets, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, 1990, p.42, nos. 44, 45 for two paintings depicting similar figures.
Berndt, R & C., Aboriginal Australian Art: A Visual Perspective, Methuen Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney, 1982, p.46, pl.25 for a closely related example entitled 'Dancing Women'.
The documentation reads in part: 'Mimis (sic) live within the rocks, and are so shy that they hide there all through the day, only emerging at night time to sing and dance, play and make love, hunt and fish.
At dawn they run back inside the rocks and pull the rock door shut after them.
In this painting the artist has depicted three Mimi (sic) women dancing. The design on their bodies is the artist's clan design and similar to his own body painting design in sacred ceremonies.'
According to Berndt, this painting does not depict Mimih Spirits. Commenting on the related example, he states: 'It depicts four women in the old East Alligator River style. The positioning of their arms suggest dancing movement. The designs on their bodies could be incipient x-ray relevant to the backbone, but are more likely to be ochre decorations. On some occasions this has been categorised under Mimih art. In this case however it is not'.
AU$ 8,000-12,000