Description:

Oceania, Central Australia, Arrernte indigenous groups, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A tall, polished wooden object known as a tjurunga (sometimes churinga), in the form of an elongated ovoid. The surface is incised on both sides with abstract artwork. On one side, bird-like footprints traverse the flat plane between two circular spirals. On the other, the same bird tracks wander upward towards an ovoid shape with shallow, scored vertical lines. The wood is dark and lightly ridged, probably eucalyptus. The tjurunga is one of a class of objects considered to have religious power by several Aboriginal groups, used in various ceremonies - their ownership and handling limited to specific members of a kinship group. The bird tracks here may represent the emu; tracks, as seen in sand, are a common way for Aboriginal artists to portray both living animals and their ancestor forms. Size: 2.5" W x 14.6" H (6.4 cm x 37.1 cm); 16.8" H (42.7 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: Tambaran Gallery, New York, New York, USA; ex-Alistair McAlpine collection

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#149098

  • Condition: Tiny losses from peripheries, with a few age related, stable cracks at either narrow end. Light wear on surface commensurate with age. Motifs are very clear.

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May 21, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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