Carved Inuit soapstone figure of a bear kneeling on one knee with head turned and upper limbs held out, late 20th century.
This carved soapstone figure depicts a bear kneeling on one knee with his head turned and upper limbs held out. He is a most appealing figure. Polar bears are greatly respected by the Inuit and symbolize resilience, patience and determination. During the Pre-historic Period, Inuit carvings were produced, in large part, either for use in shamanic rituals or for the purpose of creating amulets, and were carved from bone, antler or stone. In later years, Inuit artists created carvings for the ‘tourist’ market, increasing the size of the pieces and primarily carving from soapstone to try and keep up with the demand. This demand was further increased after artist James Houston brought Inuit art to The Canadian Handicrafts Guild in Montreal, resulting in sponsored exhibitions in the 1950’s and 60’s which gained international interest.
Size: 8 ½ h x 5 ⅝ w x 3 ¾ d in
ZP19753