Collection Online
Medium
earth and natural pigments on sago palm petiole
Measurements
122.3 × 66.2 cm
Place/s of Execution
Bangwis village, Washkuk Hills, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Accession Number
2001.416
Department
Pacific Art
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased through the NGV Foundation with the assistance of The Thomas William Lasham Fund, Founder Benefactor, 2001
© Courtesy of the copyright holder
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation
Gallery location
Not on display
Physical description
The painting depicts a butterfly, a totem of the Teeki group of clans. The butterfly is depicted twice, once in the top part of the painting and once, inverted and symmetrically and opposed to the first, in the lower part. The butterfly is represented only by its coloured wings; these are the two pairs of ‘hook’ forms. The black roundel outlined by concentric white, yellow and red lines in the centre of the bark depicts a butterfly egg.