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GEORGE MILPURRURRU 1934 - 1998 Gununou, Black Headed Serpent, 1995 ochre on bark 143 x 61 cm bears label verso: BP0218, TSS, George Milpurrurru of the Ganalbingu People, Gunungu Black Headed Python PROVENANCE The Artist, painted in the Ramingining region, Central Arnhem Land, NT Private collection, NSW Lawsons, Australian and European Paintings, Sydney, 13 March 1995, Lot 555 Private collection, NSW A fine work by one of Arnhem Land's most celebrated artists, Gunungu, Black-Headed Python demonstrates George Milpurrurru's command of Ganalbingu clan design and compositional innovation. The painting depicts Gunungu, the black-headed python—an ancestral being central to Ganalbingu law—rendered in natural ochres with finely balanced cross-hatching that unites the spiritual and physical worlds of central Arnhem Land. The work's vertical structure accentuates the serpent's winding movement through sacred country, embodying themes of creation, law, and ancestral power. Executed in 1983, it reflects Milpurrurru's mature style, characterised by rhythmic patterning and precise geometry. Recognised as one of the first Aboriginal artists to receive a solo retrospective at the National Gallery of Australia (1993), Milpurrurru redefined bark painting for a contemporary audience. This work remains a powerful expression of Yolngu cosmology and an enduring testament to his artistic legacy. @ GEORGE MILPURRURRU / Copyright Agency, 2025