Lot 5
Mathaman Marika(circa 1915-1970)Minyaba (Bremer Island), c.1958
2 December 2025, 18:00 AEDT
SydneyAU$12,000 - AU$18,000
Ask about this lot
Alex Clark
Head of Sale, Senior Specialist
Merryn Schriever
Managing Director, Australia
Mathaman Marika (circa 1915-1970)
Minyaba (Bremer Island), c.1958
natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
113.0 x 42.5cm (44 1/2 x 16 3/4in).
natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
113.0 x 42.5cm (44 1/2 x 16 3/4in).
Footnotes
PROVENANCE
Painted at Yirrkala, Northern Territory
Collection of Frederick Robey, Sydney
thence by descent
Private collection, Canberra
Sotheby's, Sydney, 15 October 2012, lot 21
The Sarick Collection, Canada
The typed label attached verso reads:
'The top picture depicts a coil of rope and turtle spear, together with some death adders at the roots of the trees. Two fishermen, one with spear and woomera, take the rope and spear and go out in the canoe after turtle. Fish and seagulls are near them. One man dives over then the turtle is speared. The turtle is killed, and pulled on board, and the canoe returns to land with two turtles. A five is lit, and the men prepare to eat. Another young man catches the smell of the cooking and throws away the small fish he has caught and joins the turtle hunters, expecting to eat. The men are angry, as young men are not allowed to eat turtle fat, and they pick him up and throw him into the fire before going elsewhere to cook their meal.
The lower picture shows the men taking the turtle in the canoe across to the mainland near Yirrkala. The turtles are taken ashore and cut into pieces. The canoe is now represented by a rock with birds seated upon it, and the turtles represented by large rocks. Pieces of turtle are depicted by smaller rocks. Surrounding scenery is shown by curved and straight lines which represent trees, and the center black line is a big hill. After the feast, two ghosts appear at night time crying for turtle, and the men are frightened.'