“Two important paintings by the famed Aboriginal artist Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri that sold at a Sotheby’s auction on Monday have gone to overseas collectors. It is believed the National Gallery of Australia had hoped to buy Emu Corroboree Man as it was the first painting Clifford Possum produced. The gallery appears to have lost out when furious bidding pushed the price to a record for the artist. Melbourne art dealer Irene Sutton bought the small work for $411,750, which she said was on behalf of an American collector… As it was brought back from the US for the sale, it is not covered by Australia’s Moveable Cultural Heritage Act, which restricts the removal of early Aboriginal works from Australia. The second Clifford Possum, a wall-sized painting titled Man’s Love Story, was bought by a French collector also for $411,750. It also falls outside the heritage act.”