Two Fruit Bats (Flying Foxes)
Bark painting, indigenous Australian ethnographic art • Yolngu or Kuninjku artist, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
Style & Movement
Aboriginal Australian Art (Arnhem Land Bark Painting tradition), specifically featuring X-ray style elements
Medium & Technique
Natural earth ochres (pigments) on eucalyptus or paperbark, applied with traditional fine-line hatching and solid fill techniques
Creation Period
Mid to late 20th century, approximately 1960-1980
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 45 x 25 cm (estimated from visual context), horizontal landscape format
Subject Description
The painting depicts two flying foxes (fruit bats) in a characteristic stylized form. The composition shows internal skeletal or organ structures, a hallmark of 'X-ray' style, representing both the physical and spiritual essence of the animal. The bats are shown with outstretched wings against the natural texture of the bark.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Fair; visible warping of the bark support and some pigment loss/fading characteristic of age and organic materials
Estimated Market Value
$800 - $1,500 USD
Auction Estimate
$600 - $1,200 USD
Provenance History
Likely acquired via an indigenous art cooperative or mission in the Northern Territory mid-century; now housed in a professional contemporary shadow-box frame
Art Historical Significance
Represents the transition of traditional ceremonial designs into portable art for the global market; significant as a record of Dreamtime stories and regional ancestral totems from Northern Australia.
Notable Features
Features traditional X-ray internal anatomical details and a unique, irregular bark shape that has been professionally mounted to float within its frame.
Condition Issues
Natural bowing/concavity of the bark support, minor surface abrasions, flaking of the white and red ochre pigments due to the brittle nature of the medium.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain in a climate-controlled environment with stable humidity to prevent further warping; avoid direct sunlight to protect organic pigments; keep in the UV-filtering shadow box frame.