Untitled
- Date
- 1960s
- Material
- Bark, pigment
- made in
- Northern Territory, Australia, Oceania
- Classification
- Paintings
- Collection
- Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 31 1/2 x 72 3/4 in. (80 x 184.8 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Frances Knight and Wayne W. Parrish and the Embassy of Australia
- Rights
- © Artists Rights Society, New York
- Object Number
- 4:1998
NOTES
This painting depicts interactions between Aboriginal peoples in coastal Arnhem Land and Makassan traders from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. A Makassan boat called a "prau" sails in one corner and other scenes depict fishing and trade.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, trade in "trepang" (sea cucumber) flourished along this northeastern coast. A valuable commodity in China, trepang attracted Makassans to Australia each year where they harvested their quarry, processed the trepang in camps, and traded with Aboriginal peoples. This region features an even longer history of global trade. Archaeological excavations in Arnhem Land have recovered material from places as distant as China and the east coast of Africa.
Provenance
c.1954 -
Dr. Stuart Scougall (1889–1964), Sydney, Australia, collected in Arnhem Land [1]
by 1964 - 1994
Frances (Rita) Knight Parrish, acquired from Dr. Scougall; estate of Frances Knight Parrish [2]
1994 - 1997
People of Australia, given by the estate of Frances Knight Parrish [3]
1997 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Frances Knight and Wayne W. Parrish and the Embassy of Australia [4]
Notes:
[1] Information provided by Penny Amberg, director of cultural affairs at the Embassy of Australia describes how Dr. Scougall traveled to Arnhem Land beginning in 1954 to collect Aboriginal art for the Art Gallery of New South Wales [SLAM document files].
[2] A Deed of Gift dated August 15, 1994 from the conservators of the Frances Knight Parrish Estate documents the gift of this object (with 2-5:1998) to "The People of Australia". A letter dated December 30, 1997 from Penny Amberg further documents the gift from the Parrish estate. Amberg stated this work was "part of the collection of the family of Rita [Frances] Knight, who worked for Dr. Scougall...and remained in contact with him until his death in 1964" [deed and letter in SLAM document files].
[3] See Note [2].
[4] A Deed of Gift dated March 18, 1998 signed by Malcolm Ferguson and Penny Amberg of the Embassy of Australia documents the gift of this object (with 1-3:1998 and 5:1998) to the Saint Louis Art Museum [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, March 18, 1998.
Dr. Stuart Scougall (1889–1964), Sydney, Australia, collected in Arnhem Land [1]
by 1964 - 1994
Frances (Rita) Knight Parrish, acquired from Dr. Scougall; estate of Frances Knight Parrish [2]
1994 - 1997
People of Australia, given by the estate of Frances Knight Parrish [3]
1997 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Frances Knight and Wayne W. Parrish and the Embassy of Australia [4]
Notes:
[1] Information provided by Penny Amberg, director of cultural affairs at the Embassy of Australia describes how Dr. Scougall traveled to Arnhem Land beginning in 1954 to collect Aboriginal art for the Art Gallery of New South Wales [SLAM document files].
[2] A Deed of Gift dated August 15, 1994 from the conservators of the Frances Knight Parrish Estate documents the gift of this object (with 2-5:1998) to "The People of Australia". A letter dated December 30, 1997 from Penny Amberg further documents the gift from the Parrish estate. Amberg stated this work was "part of the collection of the family of Rita [Frances] Knight, who worked for Dr. Scougall...and remained in contact with him until his death in 1964" [deed and letter in SLAM document files].
[3] See Note [2].
[4] A Deed of Gift dated March 18, 1998 signed by Malcolm Ferguson and Penny Amberg of the Embassy of Australia documents the gift of this object (with 1-3:1998 and 5:1998) to the Saint Louis Art Museum [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, March 18, 1998.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.