Family of Whales

Description

‘Family of Whales’ by Kiakshuk – Inuit Art – Cape Dorset 1961 print collection presented by DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts.

Condition:        Good condition – previously framed.  Professionally restored for paper handling marks and treatment of tape marks from previous framing.  Seven tape marks remain faintly visible as washing the print presents high risk to weakening the paper.  Faint discoloration of the paper also visible.  Both issues, the seven tape marks in all four margins of the paper and the mild discoloration remaining can be seen faintly in the main picture if you look closely.  This represents the actual print properly.  Pictures 5 and 6 show in more detail the mentioned tape marks front and verso respectively, which are more noticeable in the back of the paper (Picture # 6), where the tapes were originally applied for framing.

Description by Artist:     No description by artist found.

Notes from DaVic Gallery:   Great opportunity to own such rare 59 year old print in rare sealskin print technique.  No doubt this is a very interesting design when associated to the title it was given as looking at the images it is difficult to imagine these are whales.  It was at a third, fourth look that I realized the reason these whales appear deformed is because how these would look when seen from outside the water, distorted by the change of medium.  Everything in the water looks distorted when seen from the surface.  In fact, this may be the view of one of the hunters, Kiakshuk, looking into the water at the whales they are hunting.  It is known that whales will protect their infants and this is what this image appears to be where an infant is at the bottom protected by the adults.  Truly amazing print for collectors.

The blank sheet of letter-size (8.5” x 11”) paper covering part of the image in the last picture is for size reference.