Lot 269: DONKEYMAN LEE TJUPURRULA , 1925 - 1993 PAINTED COOLAMON Natural earth pigments on natural softwood

Natural earth pigments on natural softwood

80cm

Gifted in the early 1970s to a school teacher by Donkeyman Lee during her tenure at the Balgo Hills school, 1968-1974
Private Collection

Although painted by and collected from the now noted Pintupi artist Donkeyman Lee (Jitar) Tjupurrula in 1978 at Balgo, Western Australia, the elegant lines of this coolamon suggest it was probably manufactured further east at Yuendumu and transported to Balgo along the great exchange routes that link far-flung communities across the Australian arid zone. Known as manmar by the Pintupi and Kukatja, this deep coolamon was probably painted by Donkeyman prior to passing it on. The simple but striking, female figure probably refers to the Munga-Munga Women, a group of travelling women who, pursued by a male intent on rape, emerge from the ground in an area known as Yabunu to the south west of Balgo.

Sotheby's wishes to thank Kim Akerman for this catalogue entry