Not titled [Men shopping for cloth]

Scene depicting nine men around a table with coins, writing implements and spools of fabric. Reproduced in R. Curtis, 'A Papuan goes to Town', Walkabout, 1 December 1944.

In 1942, Curtis was appointed Officer in Charge of Camouflage in New Guinea. As well as recording the activities of the Australian and American troops, Curtis took every opportunity to visit local villages, creating a series of portraits of Papuan Islanders. Several of these drawings were used to illustrate short articles Curtis contributed to the Australian magazine 'Walkabout', and provide insight into the experiences of local civilians working for Australian troops or displaced by the conflict. Generally, the articles were observations on 'native' life, including marriage, wood carving, and body adornment, however Curtis also commented on distinguishing physiological features of individuals from different tribes.

Curtis was appointed as an official war artist in March 1945, covering the civil and industrial war effort in Australia.