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The Late Rosalind Gillespie Collection, Sydney
Lot 2
Jimmy Njiminjuma(1945-2004)Serpents
Amended
27 August 2025, 14:00 AEST
SydneySold for AU$2,460 inc. premium
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Alex Clark
Head of Sale, Senior Specialist
Merryn Schriever
Managing Director, Australia
Jimmy Njiminjuma (1945-2004)
Serpents
natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
70.0 x 24.0cm (27 9/16 x 9 7/16in).
natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
70.0 x 24.0cm (27 9/16 x 9 7/16in).
Footnotes
PROVENANCE
Sotheby's, Sydney, 10 November 1997, lot 236
The Gillespie Collection, Sydney
Saleroom notices
Rosalind Gillespie (1940-2022) Collection
Reflections by her son Foster Langbein
This catalogue represents the majority of works collected by the quiet but discerning eye of my mother Rosalind Gillespie. The collection was built in collaboration with my father, Ian Langbein, a highly regarded cardiac radiologist who was also an artist and sculptor in his own right. While he very much shared mum's enthusiasm for collecting, it was she who was largely the driving force behind the selection of works assembled over their later years.
Mum has always been considered a bit of a dreamer - she was affectionately nicknamed "Abstract" in her youth. Growing up she had most wanted to become a writer and journalist but this was considered an unsuitable ambition for a woman at the time. Instead she was "encouraged" to become a nurse and midwife, a profession she nevertheless later credits instilling in her discipline and practicality.
Yet that creative spirit remained undiminished. Whilst raising her two children, she joined a feminist women's filmmaking cooperative. After thoroughly absorbing the technical skills and craft of film making she began a career as an independent producer and director. Gaining significant recognition in her own right, she later worked with Film Australia as a producer.
Rosalind's films, spanning both dance and documentary genres, garnered critical acclaim and a number of national and international awards. Her 1990 documentary Handmaidens and Battleaxes, exploring the nursing profession she had once been a part of, won the Australian Film Institute Best Documentary award that year. It went on to become a staple in nursing education courses around the world.
Besides her professional pursuits, Mum always possessed an undeniable sense of style and an impeccable fashion sense. Not content with regular mass-market interior decor, she furnished the family's 1920s-era Art Nouveau home with pre-loved treasures from estate auctions. At these she really honed her sense of style and value, and that understanding of ensemble - how things go together as part of a whole. Ian was very much a creative partner in this endeavour lovingly restoring and reupholstering countless pieces of furniture to their former glory. The house itself became a kind of living artwork - warm, eclectic, thoughtful.
Rosalind's foray into the art world began somewhat serendipitously, sparked by attending a talk on collecting art for superannuation funds, hosted by her accountant and friend. What began as a potential investment opportunity turned into a love of collecting beautiful art and objects to complement the house. The talk's presenter became her art adviser and that eye for style and enduring value became an asset, this time at art auctions.
She became especially passionate about Aboriginal art, with a particular emphasis on bark paintings. As well as the bark paintings, the collection also includes a diverse array of other beautiful Indigenous objects and artworks, reflecting her respect and deep admiration of the culture of Australia's First Peoples.
A pivotal moment in Rosalind's collecting journey was her trip to Arnhem Land and the Tiwi Islands. I remember the excitement she expressed in seeing firsthand the landscapes, communities, and artistic practices that gave birth to many of the works she collected.
This collection illuminates a significant and deeply personal aspect of Rosalind Gillespie's life - her evolving engagement with art, culture, and the visual world. It also reflects the creative partnership she shared with Ian Langbein. Together, they nurtured a lifelong love and enriched each other through shared creative pursuits, a finely tuned aesthetic sensibility, and a deep appreciation of culture. The artworks gathered here speak not only to Rosalind's discerning eye, but to the quiet collaboration at the heart of their life together.