Early Barnabas Angrnasungaaq Muskox Rare Early Style
Item History and Pricing
| Handmade: Yes | Provenance: Baker Lake |
| Country/Region of Manufacture: Canada | Tribal Affiliation: Inuit |
| Artisan: Barnabas Angrnasungaaq |
Very dense stone, 18.2 lbs. 11" long, 7 1/2" high, 3 1/2" wide. From the famous sale of 25 of his pieces by Faye Settler, a purveyor of Inuit art especially from Baker Lake. The near-monumental carving (done in October 1978) is named Oowagnarq (West Wind). It is unique in that it shows the "left" side of the muskox's fur flush against its side, with the wind pushing the guard hairs heavy under the belly and flowing out the "right" side. The animal's ...head is turned away from the wind. Carved thick boss and horns. An early example largely smooth and very visual-tactile (you gotta feel it too) - later examples of his work use the "rutted" vertical lines to express the pelage. Unique also in that Barnabas has carved in the anal patch (they have no "tail" as such). This sale brought many people to Winnipeg in the heart of winter (the woman in front of me was from L.A., the wo man behind me was from Sweden), the line before opening was long (no preselling for Faye). Syllabics are on his underbelly; difficult to see in the pic. Included in this offering is the original receipt, catalog, and Eskimo (Inuit) Art tag. Winner pays $50 postage and insurance in the USA. You'll not see another of this quality.
