IDNO

P.85699.ACH2

Description

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.284.ACH1: “Ventriloquism.”

A group of Aboriginal sitting at the base of a Eucalyptus tree on the river bank in Guichen Bay, listening to the performance of a ventriloquist who is concealed in a tree. People ask him "questions relating to the life of the deceased without mentioning his or her name. The ventriloquist answers these in an inventive and clever manner." The background consists of trees and possibly a river. [See Blandowski 1862, JD 23/8/2007]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Victoria; Darling River; Murray River

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Muetzel, Gustav [Artist]

Collector / Expedition

von Blandowski, William [Blandowski Expedition to the Lower Murray River, 1857]

Date

1861; 1862

Collection Name

Haddon Collection

Source

?Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.85635. to P.85723. were tied together in a bundle.

Bibliographical Reference: Blandowski, William von, 1862. Australien in 142 Photographischen (Unpublished), with the caption “Aborigines of Australia, Plate 197. William v. Blandowski, Australia. Ventriloquism”. The image is signed “G.M.61”. [JD 23/8/2007]

Bibliographical Reference: For discussion of authorship see: Allen, H. 2006. Authorship and ownership in Blandowski's Australien in 142 Photographischen Abbildungen. Australasian Historical Archaeology 24:31-37. [Jane Lydon, Monash University, 8/7/2009]

CUMAA Exhibition: P.84112.ACH2 to P.85713.ACH2 were on display in the SSL as part of the Brook Andrew ‘The Island’ Exhibition, 24th June - 27th September 2008. [JD 25/6/2008]

Publication: Blandowski, W. 1862. Australien in 142 Photographischen Ahbildungen. Gustav Neumann, Gleiwicz. Edited by Harry Alien. Translated from the German by Lillian Barton. Translation Copyright: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2007. with the caption:
“117. On quiet and dark nights the ventriloquist performs, for example in Guichen Bay. He conceals himself in a tree about which the tribe or relations sit. Questions relating to the life of the deceased are asked without mentioning his or her name. The ventriloquist answers these in an inventive and clever manner. Drawing by G. Mützel.” [WV 6/4/2009]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Jocelyne Dudding 23/8/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Aboriginal Visual Histories Project, Monash University. [Wonu Veys 7/4/2009]