Submitted by aarAdmin on Fri, 12/09/2022 - 00:00
Paintings by Hermannsburg School Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira (1902-1959) occupied the first two spots in South Australian-based Elder Fine Art’s December 4 art auction that also featured many other well-known Australian painters.
Finke River Gums, Central Australia (lot 26) was knocked down for $57,500 ($67,620 including buyer’s premium) while Ghost Gums, Jay Creek – MacDonnell Ranges (lot 27) sold for $57,624.
Another of his works with the same title (lot 28) also earned a top 10 spot bringing $28,224 once the hammer had fallen.
Namatjira is regarded as a pioneer of contemporary indigenous Australian art, recognised as one of the country’s greatest artists and the first Aboriginal to achieve popular appeal.
A member of the Western Arrernte people, he was born and raised at the remote Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission 126 Kilometres southwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
Two still lifes by Nora Heysen (1911-2003) – the first woman to win the prestigious Archibald Prize for portraiture in 1938 and daughter of equally famous artist Sir Hans Heysen (1877-1968) – were a strong top 10 feature with Still Life – Fairy Roses in a Pottery Jug (lot 19) changing hands for $43,512 and lot 21, Still Life – Roses (From the artist’s garden in a Delft Vase), bringing $35,280.
Her father’s The Toilers – Polly and Jack, Ambleside (lot 22) was an $18,816 pickup for some lucky buyer.
Other top 10 finishers were Guy Boyd’s (1923-1988) bronze sculpture entitled Girl with Flute (lot 56), which sold for $16,464, Julie Dowling’s Mollie (lot 81), a $14,112 purchase, Brett Whiteley’s (1939-1992) Moreton Bay Fig etching (lot 36 - $13,818) and Horace Trennery’s Craters (lot 25 - $10,584).
Auctioneer Justin Elder believes the sale achieved record artist auction prices for Geoff Wilson’s Farm at Aldinga (lot 2) of $5880, Hugo Shaw’s Blanche Point, Maslins Beach (lot 1 - $7644) and Alexander Leckie’s Large Thrown Pottery Bulbous Vase (lot 58 - $4704).
