Born in Arnhem Land on the northern coast of Australia, Samuel Namunjdja belongs to the artistic community of Maningrida, located in the centre of this region and famous for its production of eucalyptus bark painted with natural pigments. Originally, these works were used in initiation rituals to pass on the secrets inherited from the Dreamtime to new adult members of the tribe, drawing inspiration from the prehistoric drawings adorning the walls of the region's sacred caves and rocks. While retaining their religious origins, the bark paintings began to be produced for collectors and thus became true works of art produced independently of any specific ritual context.