Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value
Works Offered at Auction: 356
Sale Rate: 61%
Highest Sale: $110,000 AUD
Median Sale Price: $4,800 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi (c.1950–2013) is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most important contemporary Aboriginal artists. Her paintings are among the most sought-after on the secondary market, particularly the monumental Mina Mina and Salt on Mina Mina compositions created after she won the 2001 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Today, museum-quality examples commonly realise $40,000–100,000 or more, while smaller and less significant works typically sell in the $5,000–20,000 range.
This page brings together auction records spanning Dorothy Napangardi’s entire painting career, allowing collectors to follow the evolution of both her artistic style and market value. The images trace her progression from the richly coloured Women’s Dreaming paintings of the 1990s, through the groundbreaking geometric grids of the late 1990s, to the restrained black-and-white Mina Mina and Salt on Mina Mina works that established her international reputation. Comparing paintings across different periods, sizes and compositions provides one of the most reliable ways to assess rarity, desirability and value.
According to Art Sales Digest, 364 works by Dorothy Robinson Napangardi have been offered at public auction, with 223selling, representing a 61% sell-through rate. The highest recorded auction price is $129,750 for Karntakurlangu, sold by Sotheby’s in Melbourne in July 2004. Like most Aboriginal artists, however, values vary enormously depending on factors such as date, size, provenance, exhibition history, condition and, most importantly, the quality of the individual painting.
As an Aboriginal art dealer and collector, I have deliberately selected paintings that best demonstrate the range and development of Dorothy Napangardi’s work rather than attempting to illustrate every auction result. This inevitably introduces some bias, as many lower-quality works and paintings that failed to sell are not included. The aim is to create a resource that is useful both for collectors researching values and for those wishing to study the remarkable artistic evolution of one of Australia’s finest contemporary painters.
If you own a Dorothy Napangardi painting and would like to know its approximate value or are considering selling it, please send clear photographs of the front and back, the dimensions and any available provenance or certificates. I am always happy to provide an informal assessment and discuss purchasing exceptional works.
For a detailed biography and examination of Dorithy Napangardi’s painting style please feel free to browse
Dorothy Napangardi: Biography, Painting Style and Importance
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 1991-1996
Untitled (Yuparli – Bush Banana), 1991
Size
151 × 151 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Art Leven, First Nations & Australian Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 19 May 2026, Lot 60
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Northern Territory (Cat. No. 1144DN). Private Collection, New South Wales.
Price Realised
$23,000 AUD
Bush Banana, 1995
Size
79 × 122 cm
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Auction
Bonhams & Goodman, Australian, International & Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 30 July 2006, Lot 201
Price Realised
$1,400 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 1997-1999
Mina Mina, 1997
Size
120 × 169 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Fine Art, Sydney, 9 November 2005, Lot 112
Provenance
Private Collection, Northern Territory.
Price Realised
$32,000 AUD
Women’s Dreaming, 1998
Size
120 × 118 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Shapiro Auctioneers, Modern + Contemporary Art, Sydney, 10 June 2003, Lot 159
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs (Cat. No. DN2851). Private Collection, Sydney.
Price Realised
$29,500 AUD
Women’s Ceremony, 1998
Size
121.5 × 60 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Auction
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers, Indigenous Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 5 May 2026, Lot 101
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs (Cat. No. DN3095). Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings, Melbourne. Ebes Collection, Victoria. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
Price Realised
$6,000 AUD
Women’s Dreaming, 1998
Size
40 × 40 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Leonard Joel, The Alan Boxer Collection of Aboriginal Art, Books & Music, Melbourne, 19 May 2016, Lot 151
Provenance
Chapman Gallery, Canberra, 1998.
Price Realised
$1,400 AUD
Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa (Women’s Dreaming), 1999
Size
122 × 170 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Fine Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 31 May 2005, Lot 73
Provenance
Private Collection, Alice Springs. Accompanied by an extensive folio of working photographs.
Price Realised
$30,000 AUD
Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa, 1999
Size
92 × 91.5 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Sotheby’s, Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, 31 October 2006, Lot 72
Price Realised
$15,000 AUD
Karntakurlangu, 1999
Size
151 × 90 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Art Leven, First Nations Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 17 June 2025, Lot 28
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, NT (Cat. No. 3498DN). Private Collection, The Netherlands. Accompanied by a Gallery Gondwana certificate of authenticity.
Price Realised
$10,000 AUD
Karnpakurlangu Jukurrpa, c.1999
Size
132 × 85 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Sotheby’s, Important Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, 24 July 2007, Lot 168
Price Realised
$10,000 AUD
Woman Dreaming, 1999
Size
90 × 90 cm
Medium
Oil on linen
Auction
Mossgreen Auctions, Australian & International Art, Melbourne, 4 September 2017, Lot 105
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Northern Territory. Redlands Westpac Prize, 1999. Private Collection, Melbourne.
Price Realised
$3,000 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 2000-2001
Mina Mina, 2000
Size
300 × 175 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 22 November 2006, Lot 97
Provenance
Private Collection, Victoria. Commissioned directly from the artist and sold with photographs of the artist creating the work.
Price Realised
$75,000 AUD
Kurntakurlangu Jukurrpa, 2000
Size
122 × 198 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 22 November 2006, Lot 27
Provenance
Commissioned by Gallery Gondwana. Private Collection, Western Australia. Sold with original gallery documentation.
Price Realised
$46,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2000
Size
173 × 121 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 25 May 2004, Lot 33
Provenance
Private Collection, Adelaide.
Price Realised
$37,800 AUD
Karntakurlangu Tjukurrpa, 2000
Size
122 × 122 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 30 May 2006, Lot 118
Provenance
Commissioned from the artist in 2000. Private Collection, Melbourne. Sold with photographs of the artist creating the work.
Price Realised
$15,000 AUD
Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa, 2000
Size
91.5 × 91.5 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Bonhams, Important Australian Art: 100 Works from the Gene and Brian Sherman Collection, Sydney, 11 May 2022, Lot 87
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs. Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne. Private Collection, Melbourne.
Price Realised
$6,000 AUD
Women’s Dreaming, 2001
Size
183 × 122 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Auction
Shapiro Auctioneers, Modern + Contemporary Art, Melbourne, 10 December 2003, Lot 153
Provenance
Private Collection, Brisbane. Accompanied by a suite of colour photographs of the artist executing the painting.
Price Realised
$72,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2001
Size
129 × 211 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Christie’s, Australian Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, 30 August 2005, Lot 50
Provenance
Commissioned by Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs. Private Collection, Sydney.
Price Realised
$45,000 AUD
Warlpiri Salt Crystals of Mina Mina, 2001
Size
215 × 123 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Shapiro Auctioneers, Modern + Contemporary Art, Sydney, 10 June 2003, Lot 171
Provenance
Raintree Aboriginal Fine Art Gallery, Darwin. Private Collection, Sydney. Accompanied by original certificate and colour photographs.
Price Realised
$40,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina – Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa, 2001
Size
168 × 244 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Bonhams, The Thomas Vroom Collection, Sydney, 6 September 2015, Lot 78
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Melbourne. The Thomas Vroom Collection, The Netherlands.
Price Realised
$26,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2001
Size
91 × 121 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
McKenzies Auctioneers, Aboriginal Art and Artefacts, Perth, 10 November 2015, Lot 19
Provenance
Aboriginal Fine Arts Gallery, Darwin. Purchased in 2002 with certificate.
Price Realised
$3,100 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 2002
Salt Crystals of Mina Mina, 2002
Size
137 × 213 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Shapiro Auctioneers, Modern + Contemporary Art, Melbourne, 10 December 2003, Lot 190
Provenance
Peter Los to Company Collection, Perth. Accompanied by a suite of colour photographs of the artist executing the painting.
Price Realised
$49,000 AUD
Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa (Salt), 2002
Size
122 × 198 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Sotheby’s, Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, 31 July 2006, Lot 128
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs. Private Collection, Alice Springs.
Price Realised
$40,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2002
Size
153 × 215 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Colonial to Contemporary Including Important Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 16 December 2009, Lot 168
Provenance
Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne. Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 23 November 2004, Lot 76. Private Company Collection, Melbourne. Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 19 June 2008, Lot 263. Private Collection, Melbourne.
Price Realised
$34,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2002
Size
92 × 153 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Colonial to Contemporary Including Important Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 16 December 2009, Lot 131
Provenance
Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne. Private Collection, South Australia. Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 23 November 2004, Lot 75. Private Investment Partnership, Victoria. Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 10 December 2008, Lot 217.
Price Realised
$26,000 AUD
Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa, 2002
Size
122 × 122 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 30 May 2006, Lot 96
Provenance
Flinders Lane Gallery (Cat. No. FG02405.DN). Private Collection, Melbourne. Sold with original gallery documentation and photographs of the artist creating the work.
Price Realised
$20,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2002
Size
122 × 197 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Deutscher and Hackett, Important Australian & International Fine Art, Melbourne, 15 July 2020, Lot 93
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs. Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne. The Peter and Renate Nahum Collection, London.
Price Realised
$8,500 AUD
Untitled, c.2002
Size
122 × 61 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Bonhams & Goodman, Fine Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 17 November 2004, Lot 250
Provenance
Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery, Alice Springs. Private Collection, Victoria.
Price Realised
$5,000 AUD
My Country, 2002
Size
86.5 × 50.5 cm
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Auction
Leonard Joel, Aboriginal & Oceanic Art, Melbourne, 21 July 2008, Lot 222
Provenance
Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery, Northern Territory. Private Collection. Certificate supplied.
Price Realised
$2,500 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 2003
Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa, 2003
Size
183 × 350 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Australian Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 14 November 2007, Lot 62
Provenance
Private Collection, Victoria. Sold with photographs of the artist creating the work.
Price Realised
$100,000 AUD
Mina Mina Triptych, 2003
Size
198 × 61 cm (each panel)
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 30 May 2006, Lot 31
Provenance
Private Collection, Melbourne. Sold with photographs of the artist creating the work.
Price Realised
$46,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2003
Size
169 × 244 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Bonhams, Important Australian Art, Sydney, 17 November 2021, Lot 21
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs. Private Collection, Sydney.
Price Realised
$40,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2003
Size
122 × 198 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Colonial to Contemporary Including Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 25 March 2009, Lot 134
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Northern Territory. Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne. Private Collection, Melbourne. Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 23 May 2007, Lot 77.
Price Realised
$24,000 AUD
Women’s Dreaming, 2003
Size
122 × 122 cm
Medium
Acrylic on Belgian linen
Auction
Cromwell’s Sydney, Australian & International Paintings, Sydney, 21 April 2004, Lot 72
Provenance
Private Collection, Melbourne. Accompanied by working photographs of the artist with the painting.
Price Realised
$15,000 AUD
Sandhills on Mina Mina, 2003
Size
122 × 122.5 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Bonhams, Important Australian Art: Sidney Nolan, The Heide Years, Sydney, 23 August 2022, Lot 9
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Melbourne (Cat. No. 8030DN). Private Collection, Melbourne.
Price Realised
$13,000 AUD
Sandhills of Mina Mina, 2003
Size
123 × 123 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Art Leven (formerly Cooee Art), Indigenous Fine Art Auction – The Rod Menzies Estate | Part II, Sydney, 5 March 2024, Lot 32
Provenance
Flinders Lane Gallery, Victoria (Cat. No. FG03414.DN). Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, December 2009, Lot 130. Menzies Estate Collection, Victoria.
Price Realised
$9,500 AUD
Mina Mina, 2003
Size
122 × 122 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Deutscher and Hackett, Important Australian & International Fine Art, Melbourne, 15 July 2020, Lot 96
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, Northern Territory. Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne. The Peter and Renate Nahum Collection of Aboriginal Art, London.
Price Realised
$5,500 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 2004-2006
Mina Mina, 2004
Size
122 × 92 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Aboriginal Fine Art, Sydney, 23 May 2007, Lot 183
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana (Cat. No. 9104DN). Private Collection, NSW. Sold with original gallery documentation.
Price Realised
$15,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2004
Size
61 × 61 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Art Leven (formerly Cooee Art), Indigenous Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 20 June 2023, Lot 8
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Northern Territory, Cat. No. 8791DN. Private Collection, Northern Territory.
Price Realised
$4,600 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2004
Size
91 × 91 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Leonard Joel, Fine Art, Melbourne, 8 June 2021, Lot 70
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Northern Territory. Private Collection, Melbourne.
Price Realised
$3,200 AUD
Karntakurlangu Tjukurrpa, 2005
Size
122 × 76 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Art Leven (formerly Cooee Art), Indigenous Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 23 June 2020, Lot 34
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana Fine Art, NT (Cat. No. 13-11509). Private Collection, NT.
Price Realised
$10,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2006
Size
167 × 181 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Art Leven (formerly Cooee Art), Indigenous Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 20 October 2020, Lot 49
Provenance
Ngintaka Arts, Northern Territory. Private Collection, NSW. Accompanied by photographs of the artist creating the artwork.
Price Realised
$23,000 AUD
Salt at Mina Mina, 2006
Size
198.5 × 149 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Auction
Lawson~Menzies, Contemporary, Modern Australian and Important Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 19 June 2008, Lot 229
Provenance
Harrison Galleries, Sydney. Private Collection, Sydney.
Price Realised
$17,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2006
Size
117.5 × 142 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Menzies, Australian & International Fine Art, Sydney, 11 May 2017, Lot 96
Provenance
Australian Aboriginal Art Gallery, Sydney. Jinta Desert Art, New South Wales. Private Collection, Melbourne.
Price Realised
$8,500 AUD
Women’s Dreaming, 2006
Size
90 × 120 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Lawsons, Australian Indigenous Art, Sydney, 24 November 2024, Lot 5042
Provenance
Muk Muk Fine Art Certificate of Authenticity and artist holding photographs, Cat. No. A9540.
Price Realised
$4,000 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 2007-2008
Sandhills, 2007
Size
125 × 266.5 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Auction
McKenzies Auctioneers, Fine and Decorative Arts, Jewellery and Furniture (Art Lots Only), Perth, 26 May 2020, Lot 74
Provenance
Painted in Alice Springs, Northern Territory. Private commission. Private Perth Collection.
Price Realised
$35,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2007
Size
182 × 120 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Leonard Joel, Centum, Melbourne, 28 June 2021, Lot 65
Provenance
Muk Muk Aboriginal Fine Art, Brisbane. Art Index, Sydney (2017). Private Collection, Victoria.
Price Realised
$9,500 AUD
Women’s Dreaming, 2007
Size
140 × 140 cm
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Auction
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers, Fine Aboriginal Art, Sydney, 29 July 2024, Lot 9081
Provenance
Art Index Certificate of Authenticity DNA10867.
Price Realised
$5,000 AUD
Sandhills, 2007
Size
121 × 84 cm
Medium
Acrylic on Belgian linen
Auction
Lawsons, Indigenous Art, Sydney, 28 July 2024, Lot 5045
Provenance
Ansett Aboriginal Art Gallery certificate of authenticity and artist holding photographs, Cat. No. AAAG128.
Price Realised
$3,500 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2008
Size
198 × 122 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Art Leven (formerly Cooee Art), Indigenous Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 23 June 2020, Lot 58
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, NT (Cat. No. 10002DN). Private Collection, NSW.
Price Realised
$30,000 AUD
Karntakurlangu (Belonging to Women), 2008
Size
151.5 × 91.5 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Art Leven (formerly Cooee Art), Indigenous Fine Art Auction, Sydney, 11 October 2022, Lot 93
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, NT (Cat. No. 13802DN). Private Collection, NT. Accompanied by a Gallery Gondwana certificate of authenticity.
Price Realised
$17,000 AUD
Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa (Women’s Dreaming), 2008
Size
122 × 122 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on linen
Auction
Deutscher and Hackett, Aboriginal Art from the Luczo Family Collection, USA, Melbourne, 19 October 2016, Lot 88
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs. Private Collection. Sotheby’s Australia, Melbourne, 28 July 2010, Lot 230. The Luczo Family Collection, USA.
Price Realised
$10,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2008
Size
91 × 61 cm
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
Auction
Art Leven (formerly Cooee Art), Aboriginal & Oceanic Art, Sydney, 29 May 2018, Lot 73
Provenance
Gallery Gondwana, Northern Territory, Cat. No. 9647DN. Private Collection, Northern Territory.
Price Realised
$5,500 AUD
Dorothy Napangardi Artwork Value 2009-2010
Salt on Mina Mina, c.2009
Size
180 × 125 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Lawsons, Aboriginal Art & Artefacts, Sydney, 31 May 2018, Lot 544
Provenance
Certificate of authenticity including holding photographs.
Price Realised
$4,000 AUD
Mina Mina, 2009
Size
95.5 × 60 cm
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Auction
Leonard Joel, Fine Art, Melbourne, 29 November 2016, Lot 260
Provenance
Aboriginal Art Galleries, Melbourne. Private Collection, Melbourne.
Price Realised
$2,800 AUD
Salt at Mina Mina, 2010
Size
120 × 90 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Webb’s, Works of Art, Auckland, 28 March 2022, Lot 68
Provenance
Private Collection, Wellington. Acquired from U.I. Aboriginal Art Gallery, Alice Springs.
Price Realised
$7,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2010
Size
102 × 102 cm
Medium
Acrylic on linen
Auction
Lawsons, Australian Indigenous Art, Sydney, 24 November 2024, Lot 5045
Provenance
Certificate of Authenticity including artist holding photograph.
Price Realised
$5,000 AUD
Salt on Mina Mina, 2010
Size
120 × 120 cm
Medium
Acrylic on Belgian linen
Auction
Davidson Auctions, Australian & International Art, Sydney, 19 June 2016, Lot 298
Provenance
Heritage Aboriginal Art Certificate of Authenticity. Artist holding photograph. Private Collection, Queensland.
Price Realised
$2,200 AUD
About This Artist Value Page
The headline auction statistics at the top of this page — including the number of works offered, sale rate, highest recorded sale and median sale price — are calculated from the auction records reviewed for this artist.
Everything below those figures should be regarded as a curated and subjective selection rather than a complete record of the artist’s auction history.
This is not a database of works sold. For comprehensive Australian art auction records and market data, I recommend the Australian Art sales Digest
I select works primarily to show the variety, development and quality of an artist’s work. I favour works with good-quality images over those represented by small or poor auction photographs, and I naturally include paintings that I find particularly interesting or useful in understanding the artist. Although I try to choose representative examples from different periods, subjects, sizes and price levels, these choices inevitably introduce bias.
The highest auction results also require caution. An artist’s three, four or five strongest results may be for exceptional works that entered Australian or international public collections or attracted unusually strong institutional and collector competition. Such prices should not automatically be regarded as representative of the broader market for that artist.
These pages are part of my continuing education in Aboriginal art and are intended primarily for people who enjoy the art and want to explore the variety and evolution of an artist’s work. Apart from the headline auction statistics, the selection, commentary and interpretation on this page are subjective and should not be relied upon for valuation, investment, insurance, taxation or other commercial purposes.
All images featured in this article are presented strictly for educational and informational purposes.
This website may include copyrighted material for which specific authorization has not been obtained from the copyright owner.
All such images are presumed to be the intellectual property of the respective artist or their estate, and are used in accordance with principles of fair dealing or fair use under applicable copyright law.