IDNO

P.85701.ACH2

Description

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.286.ACH1: “Funeral certificate to the brother: woman acknowledging themselves the property of the brother of their deceased husband.”

Part of a mortuary ceremony where the wives of the deceased acknowledge themselves to be the property of deceased’s brother. The two wives, one carrying a baby on her back, kneel at the feet of the brother with their arms around the man’s legs. The man holds a spear and a further two spears are on the ground in front of the women. To the right are three women huddled together, possibly in mourning, in front of a bark wind break. To the left are two men and a woman sitting in a shelter made of vegetation with spears and fishing spears placed on top. In the background are small groups or individuals, dogs, further bark wind breaks. [JD 23/8/2007] [WV 7/4/2009]

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 Australien in 142 Photographischen (Unpublished), with the caption “Aborigines of Australia, Plate 207. William v. Blandowski, Australia. Funeral certificate to the brother: woman acknowledging themselves the property of the brother of their deceased husband”. 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:
“119. The wives of the deceased are given to his brother as inheritance-They run towards their new master and show their respect by embracing his feet. From now on the man has the right to keep her, or give her as a present to friends. The owner of a quantity of women is always seen as a rich man. 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]