Hello, this item is an Aboriginal Australian bark painting by Bäriya, also recorded as Bariya, an Arnhem Land artist associated with Elcho Island and the Yolŋu cultural region, active during the mid-20th century and listed in Australian art-market records as c.1919–1992. The original verso label from the Aboriginal Curios department of the Bush Church Aid Society in Sydney identifies both the artist and origin as Elcho Island, Arnhem Land, North Australia. It describes the imagery as a large freshwater goanna associated with a sacred waterhole, together with sea cucumber and trepang. The work uses natural earth pigments with extensive fine crosshatching on bark and measures approximately 23 x 10.5 inches. Bäriya is documented in institutional sources as an Elcho Island leader involved in Yolŋu ceremonial life, and Australian Art Sales Digest records multiple works under his name.

The period Bush Church Aid Society label significantly strengthens the attribution and provenance, especially because it identifies the artist rather than simply describing the work as Arnhem Land. The painting appears generally well preserved for an older bark work, with the original traditional-style support arrangement still present. A larger Bariya bark painting, Eight Gunyan Crabs, measuring 76 x 43 cm, carried an auction estimate of AUD 700–900 at Leonard Joel, although it passed at that sale. Your example is smaller but benefits from unusually useful original documentation and a clearly recorded subject. Based on the artist, size, condition, documented provenance and current secondary-market level for comparable mid-century Arnhem Land bark paintings, I would value it as follows.

Fair Market Value: $600–$900 USD