Description:

WIMMITJI TJAPANGARTI
c. 1924 - 1997
Inulputja, near Jupiter Well 1993
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Inulputja lies near Jupiter Well, deep in the country Wimmitji Tjapangarti walked as a young man before following his family into Balgo Mission in 1957. This work records what memories he carried from that country: its sandy rises, craggy hills, dry creek beds and the permanent water soakages that sustained life for thousands of years, the most reliable of which is called Nardu Diiti. The surface is built up with layered, clotted marks in a palette that moves beyond the basic earth tones he typically favoured, into bold blues, greens and oranges.

This is among his last works. The catalogue number 514/93 places it in 1993, by which time his eyesight was failing.

Wimmitji was born around 1924 at Kutakurtal, near Nyirla. He came to Balgo as a fully initiated man, a mapan of the Wangkajunga, a traditional healer of extensive ceremonial knowledge. In his sixties he began painting alongside his second wife Eubena Nampitjin, and together they developed a shared aesthetic that stood apart from their Balgo contemporaries, more refined, more detailed, more intimate with the country it described. Despite speaking little English, his knowledge of ancestral narrative proved invaluable to anthropologists Ronald and Catherine Berndt in the preparation of The Speaking Land: Myth and Story in Aboriginal Australia (Penguin, 1988), and to Father Anthony Peile in compiling the Kukatja dictionary.

  • Provenance: Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills, WA, Cat No. 514/93
    Cooee Art, Sydney, NSW
  • Dimensions: 90 x 60 cm
  • Medium: synthetic polymer paint on canvas

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Other, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Collection of goods must be within five (5) working days of sale via 118-120 Parramatta Road Stanmore, NSW 2048, please note parking is only available on Parramatta Road between 10am & 3pm. Storage fees apply after five (5) working days.

Our hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm .

No Collections or deliveries can be made via the rear lane.

Theodore Bruce can arrange inhouse postage via Australia Post with a minimum postage and handling charge of $25 for domestic parcels, quotes can also be provided upon request. Any collection arrangements or shipping quotes should be emailed to [email protected]

We can recommend International Shippers if required & local & National carriers for furniture and/or larger invoices. Please refer our website www.theodorebruceauctions.com.au for details.

May 5, 2026 6:00 PM AEST
Bondi Beach, Australia

Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
A$0 A$19 A$20
A$20 A$49 A$5
A$50 A$99 A$10
A$100 A$299 A$20
A$300 A$499 A$25
A$500 A$999 A$50
A$1,000 A$1,999 A$100
A$2,000 A$4,999 A$200
A$5,000 A$9,999 A$500
A$10,000 A$19,999 A$1,000
A$20,000 A$49,999 A$2,000
A$50,000 A$99,999 A$5,000
A$100,000 A$199,999 A$10,000
A$200,000 A$499,999 A$20,000
A$500,000 + A$50,000