Barkpainting: "Barramundi"
Description
contours of the fish filled with linear cross hatches and diagonal lines in changing colours, collection number on top to the left “S256B” (?), slightly dam., abrasion of paint, fine cracke (mouth), on black press board, fixed by nails;
this painting of a “Barramundi” relates the story of how the waters of Western Arnhem Land came to be filled with fish. Legends has it that the giant, “Luma Luma”, and the rainbow serpent, “Ngalyod”, gathered barramundi from the ocean to stock the empty waters of this area.
The motifs are painted on a sheet of prepared stringy-bark (eucalyptus tree), with a feather or twig brush. A red gound colour is applied and is rubbed over with orchid juice to provide a firm and smooth surface. The painters use four basic colours: reds and yellows come from a variety of ochres including haematite, ironstone and limonite. White is generally gypsum or pipeclay and black is made from manganese ore or charcoal.
In western Arnhemland the bark paintings are a natural developement of the remarkable cave art of this area. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the art of this area is its so-called X-ray character.
A fine feel of the material and high sensitivity in the pitturesque realization characterize the barkpaintings of Arnhemland.