CHARLIE NUMBULMOORE

Acquired directly from the artist, most probably at Gibb River Station, by the two brothers who were jackarooing in the Kimberley
Private collection, New South Wales

Painted on an old plywood board (that was of considerable age when the painting was created)....several nail holes along the top and bottom edges, and many small and fine cracks to the ply surface. Pigments appear to be in good and stable condition overall. Reframed in modern/minimalist floating box frame
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Cf. Sotheby's, Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, 9 July 2001, lot 7, for another depiction by the artist of the same subject matter. According to anthropologist, Kim Akerman, this figure is probably representative of the Agula or Spirit Woman, Jilnya, a malevolent spirit in the north Kimberley. Akerman suggests that the ears usually indicate a spirit figure and talons, the nature of the beast. It is interesting to note that the figure has the black eyes encircled with eyelashes and a black oval shape on the breastbone, both characteristic of the artist's representations of Wanjina.