First Arts: Inuit & First Nations Art

May 28, 2019

LOT 47

Lot 47

NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-)

NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-)
Lot 47 Details
NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-), E9-966, Ivujivik

POLAR BEAR AND CUB

stone
signed in syllabics with with disc number, c. 1980s
17 x 10 x 15 in — 43.2 x 25.4 x 38.1 cm

Estimate $5,000-$7,000

Realised: $8,400
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Additional Images
NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-)
  • NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-)
  • NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-)
  • NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-)
  • NUTARALUK UILIA IYAITUK (1943-)
Provenance:

a Toronto collection

Note:

Although Nutaraaluk and his younger brother Matiusi (b. 1950) were raised in the same hardship-filled circumstances, they ended up leading very different lives and artistic careers. Matiusi went to school, became a policeman and then an artist known for his wide-ranging curiosity, experimentation, travels, and involvement with the Inuit Art Foundation. Nutaraaluk, as the oldest surviving sibling working to support a desperately poor family, took the traditional path. He spent his life as a hunter and carver, living and working in the tiny isolated community of Ivujivik. He specialized in large works “because they feel better in my hands.” His favourite subjects were women and bears: “I have seen many bears, but I don’t carve the actual bear; I carve the feel of the bear. I wouldn’t want to carve from a live model. I carve from my head.”

Nutaraaluk’s bear quote could have come from Pauta Saila. Had he lived in Cape Dorset, Nutaraaluk might have followed in Pauta’s footsteps as a famous carver of bears. Polar Bear and Cub is a magnificent sculpture, capturing power and ferocity on the one hand, and maternal tenderness on the other. It’s an imposing work that nonetheless draws us in. We can almost hear the mother bear giving tips on hunting to her cub.

References: see Marybelle Myers, “The Iyaituk Brothers: Nutaraaluk and Mattiusi” in Inuit Art: An Anthology (Watson & Dwyer, 1988) pp. 64-75. Above quotes are from this source.

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 47
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.