Minneapolis Institute of Art

Figure

Inuit artist

Date

late 19th century

Medium

Ivory, pigment, string

Culture

Inuit

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Inuit who live in Labrador, off the eastern coast of Canada, created this group of ivories shown here in the late nineteenth century. Although their exact purpose is not known, they were probably made for trade with the Europeans. Rooted in the carving tradition of their ancestors, the Inuit of Labrador created these wonderfully charming objects that reflected their daily lives. A family of Inuit dressed in semi-traditional clothing is shown surrounded by their hunting implements, including a dog sled and a kayak. The artist who created these also accurately represented the animals they hunted; caribou, seal, and birds. Despite the changes in their culture and lifestyle over the past 500 years, the Inuit have continued the art of ivory carving, whether it is for the market or ceremonial purposes. Americas

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