A fine old aboriginal bark painting from the Northern Territory, Australia. Old ochres and pigments, with three great birds, fish, and a dot background. There is a very faint Methodist Mission-Millingimbi (Arnhemland) stamp on the back which would date it to the early 1960's. The bark is unsigned. But a strikingly similar painting is shown on the cover of an auction held by Arte Primitivo, New York, on March 24, 2003. That painting, from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Isacc Stern was titled, "Seabirds Collecting Shellfish" with a label identifying the artist as Dhathayu. Comparing the two works, their colors and the form and positioning of the birds, there can be little doubt that this is the same artist. Very good condition with small cracks top and bottom, and some minor loss of pigment due to age.
Length: 57 cm / 22 1/2 in
Width: 25.5 cm /10 1/2 in
Length: 57 cm / 22 1/2 in
Width: 25.5 cm /10 1/2 in