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Bird, snake, lizards, and fish, Yirrkalla, Arnhem Land 30.5" x 17.75", Cat. No. 6-36

Aboriginal Australian Bark Paintings

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On a continent first settled by maritime peoples roughly 50,000 years ago, Australia’s aboriginal peoples still practice one of the world’s oldest continuous artistic traditions. Australian rock art is some of the most spectacular in the world. 

Today these ancient artistic traditions live on in a variety of media and motifs, including the polychrome bark paintings of Arnhem Land—imbued with both myth and mystery. For many years, the traditional arts of the Australian Aboriginal people were of interest primarily as anthropological or ethnographic curiosities. 

In the 1960s, however, these remarkable bark paintings featuring natural pigments applied to flattened eucalyptus bark panels captured the imagination of international collectors and curators. These beautiful works are now found in the finest art museums and private collections around the world. The Museum of Natural and Cultural History is proud to have 23 Aboriginal bark paintings in its global ethnographic collections, all of which are depicted in this web gallery of photos by Steve Wilkinson. These wonderful artworks were gifts from Jane and Robert Gehring, Hayasdan Wallace, and Ashley Foster.  Images © UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Production of this gallery was generously supported by The Ford Family Foundation.

Image Gallery
Image
Bird, snake, lizards, and fish, Yirrkalla, Arnhem Land 30.5" x 17.75", Cat. No. 6-36

Cat. #6-36 Bird, snake, lizards, and fish, Yirrkalla, Arnhem Land 30.5" x 17.75"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-36
Bird, snake, lizards, and fish, Yirrkalla, Arnhem Land 30.5" x 17.75"

Image
Crocodile in x-ray, by Naguljilmi Oenpelli, Arnhem Land 26.5" x 14.25", Cat. No. 6-31

Cat. #6-31 Crocodile in x-ray, by Naguljilmi Oenpelli, Arnhem Land 26.5" x 14.25"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-31
Crocodile in x-ray, by Naguljilmi Oenpelli, Arnhem Land 26.5" x 14.25"

Image
Two turtles and two echidnas, Gunwinggu Tribe, Kroken Island, West Arnhem Land 26.25" x 13.75",  Cat. No. 6-32

Cat. #6-32 Two turtles and two echidnas, Gunwinggu Tribe, Kroken Island, West Arnhem Land 26.25" x 13.75"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-32
Two turtles and two echidnas, Gunwinggu Tribe, Kroken Island, West Arnhem Land 26.25" x 13.75"

Image
Geometric pattern by Dick Nulmarmar Ganalbingu Tribe Old Arafura Area 28" x 10.25", Cat. No. 6-33

Cat. #6-33 Geometric pattern by Dick Nulmarmar Ganalbingu Tribe Old Arafura Area 28" x 10.25"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-33
Geometric pattern by Dick Nulmarmar Ganalbingu Tribe Old Arafura Area 28" x 10.25"

Image
Wuyal - spirit men and rock wallabies, Yirrkalla 24" x 8", Cat. No. 6-34

Cat. #6-34 Wuyal - spirit men and rock wallabies, Yirrkalla 24" x 8"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-34
Wuyal - spirit men and rock wallabies, Yirrkalla 24" x 8"

Image
Snakes and crocodiles, Yirrkalla or Miningimbi, Northeast Arnhem Land 20" x 10.5", Cat. No. 6-35

Cat. #6-35 Snakes and crocodiles, Yirrkalla or Miningimbi, Northeast Arnhem Land 20" x 10.5"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-35
Snakes and crocodiles, Yirrkalla or Miningimbi, Northeast Arnhem Land 20" x 10.5"

Image
Geometric pattern, Milingimbi 26" x 15.25", Cat. No. 6-37

Cat. #6-37 Geometric pattern, Milingimbi 26" x 15.25"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-37
Geometric pattern, Milingimbi 26" x 15.25"

Image
Wawilak sisters story by Lipundji Milingimbi Island, Crocodile Isle North Arnhem Land 21.75" x 11", Cat. No. 6-38

Cat. #6-38 Wawilak sisters story by Lipundji Milingimbi Island, Crocodile Isle, North Arnhem Land 21.75" x 11"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-38
Wawilak sisters story by Lipundji Milingimbi Island, Crocodile Isle, North Arnhem Land 21.75" x 11"

Image
Four human figures and a kangaroo, Milingimba, Crocodile Island, North Arnhem Land 25.5" x 15.25", Cat. No. 6-39

Cat. #6-39 Four human figures and a kangaroo, Milingimba, Crocodile Island, North Arnhem Land 25.5" x 15.25"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-39
Four human figures and a kangaroo, Milingimba, Crocodile Island, North Arnhem Land 25.5" x 15.25"

Image
Lizards and fish, Milingimbi Northeast, Arnhem Land 23.25" x 15.5", Cat. No. 6-40

Cat. #6-40 Lizards and fish, Milingimbi Northeast, Arnhem Land 23.25" x 15.5"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-40
Lizards and fish, Milingimbi Northeast, Arnhem Land 23.25" x 15.5"

Image
Two human figures, Milingimbi, Northeast Arnhem Land 32" x 17.5", Cat. No. 6-41

Cat. #6-41 Two human figures, Milingimbi, Northeast Arnhem Land 32" x 17.5"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-41
Two human figures, Milingimbi, Northeast Arnhem Land 32" x 17.5"

Image
Three human figures, two birds, and two snakes, Yirrkalla, Northeast Arnhem Land 31.5" x 16.5", Cat. No. 6-42

Cat. #6-42 Three human figures, two birds, and two snakes, Yirrkalla, Northeast Arnhem Land 31.5" x 16.5"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-42
Three human figures, two birds, and two snakes, Yirrkalla, Northeast Arnhem Land 31.5" x 16.5"

Image
Kangaroo in x-ray, Minji, Crocker Island 26.75" x 11", Cat. No. 6-48

Cat. #6-48 Kangaroo in x-ray, Minji, Crocker Island 26.75" x 11"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-48
Kangaroo in x-ray, Minji, Crocker Island 26.75" x 11"

Image
Fish by Peter Nambarridj, Maningrida or Yirrakala 26.25" x 10.25", Cat. No. 6-54

Cat. #6-54 Fish by Peter Nambarridj, Maningrida or Yirrakala 26.25" x 10.25"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-54
Fish by Peter Nambarridj, Maningrida or Yirrakala 26.25" x 10.25"

Image
Wamba the swamp bird, Wadaymu, Northeast Arnhem Land 14" x 32", Cat. No. 6-89

Cat. #6-89 Wamba the swamp bird, Wadaymu, Northeast Arnhem Land 14" x 32"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-89
Wamba the swamp bird, Wadaymu, Northeast Arnhem Land 14" x 32"

Image
Three suns and three human figures by Larrtjungga, Northeast Arhem Land 13" x 23", Cat. No. 6-90

Cat. #6-90 Three suns and three human figures by Larrtjungga, Northeast Arhem Land 13" x 23"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-90
Three suns and three human figures by Larrtjungga, Northeast Arhem Land 13" x 23"

Image
Anteater 15" x 6", Cat. No. 6-91

Cat. #6-91 Anteater 15" x 6"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-91
Anteater 15" x 6"

Image
Eight human figures by Yirrwalla, Gunwinggu Tribe, West Arnhem Land 25" x 17", Cat. No. 6-92

Cat. #6-92 Eight human figures by Yirrwalla, Gunwinggu Tribe, West Arnhem Land 25" x 17"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-92
Eight human figures by Yirrwalla, Gunwinggu Tribe, West Arnhem Land 25" x 17"

Image
Two rodents and two butterflies by Narritjin, Northeast Arnhem Land 25" x 13", Cat. No. 6-93

Two rodents and two butterflies by Narritjin, Northeast Arnhem Land 25" x 13", Cat. No. 6-93

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Two rodents and two butterflies by Narritjin, Northeast Arnhem Land 25" x 13", Cat. No. 6-93

Image
Fish by Mijau Mijau, Gunwinggu Tribe, West Arnhem Land 27" x 12", Cat. No. 6-94

Cat. #6-94 Fish by Mijau Mijau, Gunwinggu Tribe, West Arnhem Land 27" x 12"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-94
Fish by Mijau Mijau, Gunwinggu Tribe, West Arnhem Land 27" x 12"

Image
Opossum tree story by Narritjin, Northeast Arnhem Land 52" x 22", Cat. No. 6-95

Cat. #6-95 Opossum tree story by Narritjin, Northeast Arnhem Land 52" x 22"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-95
Opossum tree story by Narritjin, Northeast Arnhem Land 52" x 22"

Image
Murrujun mortuary rites by Walipurra Milingimbi Methodist Mission, Arnhem Land 33.5" x 14.5", Cat. No. 6-97

Cat. #6-97 Murrujun mortuary rites by Walipurra Milingimbi Methodist Mission, Arnhem Land 33.5" x 14.5"

Gallery Caption (Only for Collections Gallery Images)

Cat. #6-97
Murrujun mortuary rites by Walipurra Milingimbi Methodist Mission, Arnhem Land 33.5" x 14.5"

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