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History Of Use

Contemporary Inuit sculpture produced for the art market began in the 1950's in response to a very successful sale, by the Canadian Handicraft Guild in Montreal in 1949, of pieces collected by James A. Houston on the east coast of Hudson Bay. The Inuit co-operatives developed by 1959 and a central marketing agency was established in 1965. Carving continues to be a major source of income in the Eastern Canadian Arctic, an area which has undergone major social and economic changes, especially since World War II. There has been a steady growth in permanent settlements during the last half of this century which has made large scale carving in stone feasible. Traditionally, carving materials were mainly bone, antler, and ivory, because of their light weight, strength, and durability. Heavier and more fragile stone was used primarily for lamps and cooking vessels. Although Inuit sculpture is often referred to as 'soapstone' sculpture, in fact, less than half of the stone used is soapstone (a high-grade talc or steatite). Other stones commonly used include serpentine, olivine, periodite, chrysolite, and others. In the early years of the industry it was possible to identify where a carving came from by the specific type of stone used, however, in recent years stone is traded on a wider, regional basis. Whale bone, antler, walrus tusk ivory, and a variety of other materials are also used by Inuit carvers. Themes in Inuit sculpture are based on personal experiences and beliefs, derive from oral traditions, mythology, as well as from narrative and figurative themes depicting arctic fauna and scenes of traditional Inuit life. Regional, community, and individual styles are also apparent.

Narrative

Balshine family collection.

Description

Figure standing on back legs with seal-like head, overlapping ovoid wings with longitudinal channels, on back. There is a longitudinally aligned fish on left, front of body, and a seal on right. The figure's feet are slightly different, as the one on the left has 4 notches, indicating toes or claws, the other is boot-like. The figure's head has round holes at ears, eyes and nostrils with a slit at mouth. Fish has dots for eyes, line at mouth and u-shape indicating gills. Seal has dots for eyes and a line at mouth. Figure stands on a lighter, rectangular base. Series of characters, 8-01282, a copyright mark and '78' in a circle are inscribed on bottom. Coated with resin ?

Cultural Context

contemporary art