Jimmy Mijau Mijau circa 1897-1985

Estimate

5,000 - 8,000 GBP

Sold

8,750 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Jimmy Mijau Mijau
Nawarran (The Rock Python)
Bears inscription "sugarbag" in chalk, together with Spence Museum catalogue number 22 on the reverse.
Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
78cm by 41.5cm

Provenance

Painted in Western Arnhem Land circa 1959

G.W. Spence, Gardens Museum and Gallery, Darwin

Dr George Gill, Kansas, USA, 1967

The Spence-Gill Collection, Wyoming USA

Sotheby's, Important Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, 28 June, 1999, lot 109 (AU634)

Fiona Brockhoff, Melbourne

Literature

Cf. Caruana, W., Aboriginal Art, Thames and Hudson, 1989, pp.30-33, pl 5; for a closely related painting of the same subject matter, collected by Karel Kupka, and now in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia.

“The coiled figure of the snake… represents Nawarran, the rock python. The radiating stripes of body patterning in this figure, creates an intense visual impact which evokes the formidable power of this species.” (ibid, p.30)