DICK ROUGHSEY (GOOBALATHELDIN)

Dick Roughsey died in 1985 at a time when the Aboriginal arts industry was still very much in its infancy. He played a leading role in what would later become known as the reconciliation movement and could be said to have done more than any other, perhaps apart from Albert Namatjira, in bridging the cultural divide between black and white Australia. The Children’s books that he illustrated and wrote with his friend Percy Tresize were numerous and widely read and loved. Images for these books were painted on illustration board and, after publication, each of these unique sets of paintings were sold. Most of these have remained as complete sets, having been cherished by their owners, many of whom actually met and were deeply affected by Roughsey’s humour and personal magnetism. They occasionally appear for sale now that their owners are growing older and looking to simplify their lives. One such set, that comprised the illustrations of one of his most successful and enduring books set the record price for the artist when sold at Lawson~Menzies in May 2006 (Lot 39). Goorialla-The Rainbow Serpent 1975 comprised 16 works each measuring 61 x 75 cm. and sold for $16,800 against a presale estimate of $15,000-20,000. It exceeded the previous record of $15,000 that had stood since March 1990, surely one of the oldest records that still remained current for an Aboriginal artwork. One can only imagine the titanic struggle in the rooms when Second Last Game, the small 23.5 x 33 cm. board depicting a game of marbles being played out at twilight sold at Mason Gray in Sydney with an estimate of just $800-1,600. It demonstrates clearly how rapidly the Aboriginal art market has changed as, at that time, this would have been one of the highest prices ever paid for a painting by any Australian Aboriginal artist. It was, in fact still the 37th highest price ever paid for an Aboriginal artwork at the end of 1994 but had been consigned from the top 50 by the following year when Sotheby’s began their specialist sales.

Apart from his book illustrations Roughsey is principally recognized as a bark painter and two of the finest ever offered at auction hold his 3rd and 5th highest results. Both were sold at Lawson~Menzies having been highly prized in my own personal collection. The first was bought directly from Roughsey by Siri Omberg, a personal friend, who inspired by his encouragement opened Emerald Hill Gallery just after the artist’s death in the late 1980’s and installed the work behind glass at the gallery’s entrance. The other was purchased when the magnificent Ray Laurie collection was sold in a stand-alone auction at Lawson’s in 1994. Both depicted Roughsey’s oft repeated Marnbil and Debil Debil creation Story which described the fight to the death between two brothers by dividing the image in to three horizontal narrative elements. The barks created in 1968 and 1965 respectively sold for $11,400 and $7,200.

The highest price paid for one of his many paintings depicting missionaries and Christian themes was the $7,200 paid at Sotheby’s in November 2005 for The Coming of the Missionary 1981 (Lot 348) for which the purchaser bid to the high estimate. This lovely small work depicts his lithe, healthy Lardil clan ancestors standing in an Eden-like innocence as they look out to a sailing ship anchored off their idyllic island.

Overall, Dick Roughsey’s extremely appealing paintings are both popular and inexpensive and this is reflected in their success at auction. An 80% clearance rate for an Aboriginal artist that has had so many works offered for sale is impressive, especially so when his results since 1997are taken in to account. During this period 78 works sold while only 16 were passed in. Prices for his works are still extremely reasonable and affordable for collectors with even the smallest budgets. But with only 1 of his highest 10 results having been set before 2000 and 5 of the highest 6 achieved since 2004 there is no doubt that interest in his work has been growing and keen collectors should not think twice if they find a nice piece at a good price.