An original artwork. "Corroboree" A finely-drawn pencil sketch, with watercolour wash.
ND (circa 1920s?). One of Spare's highly detailed "tribal" works. The sketch depicts several groups of naked Australian aboriginal youths, some involved in a ritual dance, others in discussion or under instruction. Finely drawn in pencil, with a watercolour wash, on a 9.75 x 14.5 inch sheet of card. Not signed. The work has the title 'Corobboree' (sic) in pencil on the reverse, in an unknown handwriting. A Corroboree is a type of ritual gathering held by indigenous peoples of Australia. The best known examples make use of dance, song and costume to reinforce ties between the people and the Dreaming or Dreamtime, which lies at the heart of their religio-cultural worldview. Corroborees can also serve specific initiatory or other rituals, or as simple clan-related gatherings or festivals.
For a time Spare showed a fascination with the rituals of first nations people, and did a number of artworks focussed on tribal cultures. He also had an interest in Australia: it seems a relative (perhaps his brother?) had moved there for a time and sent Spare postcard account and pictures of what he had seen. These clearly caught Spare's imagination and some of the earliest landscapes that he is known to have drawn depict the extrarordinary and sometime grotesque rock formations of the Jenolan Caves in New South Wales.
The present work was part of an old, large, Spare collection that we acquired a number of years ago, and has recently come back to us. A typed label on the verso (now covered by backing sheet) has the following: "Purchased from Abbott & Holder of Castelnau, Barnes, S.W. 13 in 1971. Group of Nude Youths - some painted - in an aborigine dance called a corobboree (sic) in Australia … 10 x 14 ….. by Austin Osman Spare (1886-1956 )" Professionally mounted and framed behind plexiglass in a modern 25 x 21 inch metallic-painted wooden frame. The work in Fine condition. The frame is unfortunately quite rubbed in a couple of places and missing a few chips: most would consider that it should be replaced, and it would certainly seem to us that a smaller frame and different mount would be more sympathetic to the work, although the existing frame is still perfectly serviceable. Due to the size and value of this item extra shipping charges to those automatically quoted will apply to this item - the exact amount dependent upon destination, method of shipment etc. Item #51362
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