The constellation of the Scorpion
Kneepad JABARGU: artist
No image available
This bark painting represents the constellation of the scorpion - Miaipra-Pria. This is made up of a number of small stars in the Northern sky in the constellation of the lynx.
The aborigines believe that the scorpions - Miaipra-Pria are old childless star people. Hunting for food they travel over the sky and fish in the Milky Way. They bring their food back too cook over their two fires which are the two large stars in the constellation. The aborigines have a profound knowledge of the night sky. For most of the stars and constellations they can identify they have stories which explain their nature and appearance. Many of these myths are depicted in the bark paintings. This is an unusual one by one of the old masters if Groote Eylandt, Kneepad. The painting was done in 1958.
Field: Field Museum, Chicago. 1972. Cat.
deYoung: M.H deYoung Memorial Museum, San Francisco. 1974. Cat.
The aborigines believe that the scorpions - Miaipra-Pria are old childless star people. Hunting for food they travel over the sky and fish in the Milky Way. They bring their food back too cook over their two fires which are the two large stars in the constellation. The aborigines have a profound knowledge of the night sky. For most of the stars and constellations they can identify they have stories which explain their nature and appearance. Many of these myths are depicted in the bark paintings. This is an unusual one by one of the old masters if Groote Eylandt, Kneepad. The painting was done in 1958.
Field: Field Museum, Chicago. 1972. Cat.
deYoung: M.H deYoung Memorial Museum, San Francisco. 1974. Cat.
Title
The constellation of the Scorpion
Artist/Maker and role
Kneepad JABARGU: artist
Medium
ochres on eucalyptus bark
Measurements
64.7 x 41.6 cm
Credit line
Purchased through the Western Australian Government, 1988
The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia
Accession number
1988/0571