Aboriginal Art
Online Auction: 26 November–4 December 2020 • 6:00 PM EST • New York

Aboriginal Art 26 November–4 December 2020 • 6:00 PM EST • New York

S otheby’s is pleased to announce the second Aboriginal Art auction in our New York headquarters. Following the highly successful sale held last December, this sale will feature works created by artists from the world’s oldest continuous culture, including masterworks from the most celebrated artists in the field such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Charlie Tawrawa Tjungurrayi, John Mawurndjul, Charlie Numbulmnore and Mathaman Marika. The exceptional artworks in this sale include fifteen paintings from the estate of legendary Australian artist David Larwill, together with others selected from collections in Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.

Naata Nungurrayi
MARRAPINTI, 2002
Estimate: 80,000 – 120,000 USD
The Women of Papunya Tula: a Major Painting by Naata Nungurrayi
Emerging from an American collection, Marrapinti by Naata Nungurrayi is one of the artist’s most significant and breathtaking paintings to come to auction in recent years. Considered one of the most important artists from the group of women at Kintore and Kiwirrkurra who began painting for Papunya Tula Artists in 1996, Nungurrayi’s paintings have continually held the attention of curators and major collectors. Her powerful and distinct paintings have been included in many of the most significant museum exhibitions, including ‘Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius’ at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2000, and major paintings have been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and other leading institutions.

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Moon Love Dreaming of Man & Woman: an Early Board by Charlie Tarawa Tjungurrayi
This bold painting is one of two 'early boards' being offered in the auction. These were originally acquired by Americans while working at Pine Gap, the U.S. satellite surveillance base in Central Australia. One of two versions of the story the artist painted in 1971, the whereabouts of the present version had been unknown since it was made, and it had not been seen by the public since it was acquired 49 years ago.

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Aboriginal Paintings from the Collection of David Larwill

The trailblazing Australian artist David Larwill (1956 – 2011) was known not only for his own distinctive style based on bold colors, stylized figures and simplified form, but also for his ability to segue comfortably between the European elements of Australia’s population and its traditional, indigenous peoples of remote Central and Northern Australia. During his lifetime he was a champion of the remarkable cultural output of Australia’s indigenous artists, which greatly influenced the art he created himself as well as the works he collected.

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