The unknown artist who created this painting was probably a man. Within Aboriginal cultures, certain designs belong to particular clans and even to individuals within those clans. Only certain men are permitted to paint these designs.
Kangaroos formed an important part of the Aboriginal diet, and this bark painting probably was intended to promote a successful hunt. The classic “X-ray” style depicts the animal’s internal organs, essential to the Aboriginal concept of the kangaroo as a food source.
The X-ray style is typical of Aboriginal bark paintings from western Arnhem Land. The approach indicates that, to the artist, what is inside the animal is of great importance. Here, the kangaroo’s white-painted body is set against an unpainted background. Stylized linear designs represent the kangaroo’s spine and organs. The painting is unusual for its large size and irregular shape. Also notable is the fact that the animal’s body is presented in profile, while its head is shown in three-quarter view.
The Aborigines of Australia are renowned for their paintings on bark, an art form that originated with the tribes of Arnhem Land in the far north of Australia. These paintings are an integral part of the spiritual life of the Aboriginal people. The bark is taken from gum trees, then flattened and dried. The Aborigines derive paint from natural pigments and charcoal, which they grind and mix with plant juices. These same colors are also used for body and sand painting. To make paintbrushes, Aborigines whittle or chew the ends of twigs or strips of bark. Traditionally, bark paintings were not considered a permanent art form by the people who created them. Instead, they were abandoned and allowed to decay.
The irregular shape of this painting shows that the bark was chopped with an ax. The white paint is from clay, the black from charcoal, and the red from ocher. Yellow, a favorite color of Aboriginal artists, is absent.
The first Aboriginal settlers arrived in Australia at least 50,000 years ago, and possibly much earlier. Eventually, about 500 tribes were spread across the vast continent. Their existence was virtually undisturbed until the devastating impact of English colonization in the late 18th century. As a result of this isolation, Aborigines developed one of the world’s longest continuous artistic traditions. This painting is probably from West Arnhem Land, a harsh desert environment in which survival depended upon constant migration. Aborigines therefore built no permanent housing but lived instead in humpys, temporary shelters made of branches and eucalyptus bark. Inside, the bark was painted with vibrant designs in ochre, clay, and charcoal.
