Monuments funeraires de L'ile Toud, Detroit de Torres
Artist
Louis Le Breton (1818-1866)
(French, 1818 - 1866)
Datec 1845
Object number00008364
NameLithograph
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 366 x 493 mm, 0.25 kg
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionPlate 169 from 'Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l'Oceanie by Dumont d'Urville titled 'Monuments funeraires de l'Ile Toud (Detroit de Touies)' ('Funeral monuments on Toud Island /Tudu Island, Torres Strait').
Dumont D’Urville’s Pacific expeditions recorded diverse aspects of the Indigenous cultures encountered during the voyages. Here the voyage artist has captured the details of a funerary monument adorned with dugong skulls, ribs, spears and shells.HistoryDugong bone mounds have been confirmed by archaeological excavations on Tudu Island to have been in use for at least 400-500 years. They were oval shaped and were known to be up to 13 meters long and one metre in height. Made predominantly from dugong ribs and the rear skull bones they were originally described by European explorers as 'ceremonial' or 'shrines'. More recent investigations suggest that the mounds were more likely associated with 'hunting magic, social cohesion and collective identity.'
(McNiven, Ian and Wright, Duncan. 'Islands of Inquiry: Ritualised marine Midden Formation in western Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait)'. 2008, ANU Press.)
Between 1837 and 1840 D’Urville in L’ASTROLABE (accompanied by LA ZELEE) explored parts of the Antarctic. The results of both voyages were published in Paris and included magnificent large format atlases containing a wide variety of detailed charts and illustrations. In 1842 Dumont D’Urville’s career was brought to an abrupt end when he and his family were tragically killed in a train accident.
SignificanceDumont D'Urville's two expeditions (1826 1829 and 1837-1840) brought back significant scientific collections which emulated the achievements of James Cook in the 1770s and paralleled the work of Charles Darwin aboard the BEAGLE.
In addition to the scientific staff, both expeditions included artists of considerable talent. On the first expedition the chief artist was Louis de Sainson. Ernest Goupil was the official artist during part of the second expedition, however, when he died during the voyage he was succeeded by the expedition's assistant surgeon Louis le Breton. Today Dumont D'Urville is recognised for initiating and applying a classification system to various ethnic groups - describing them as Austronesian, Polynesian, Melanesian or Micronesian.
