Carved head / fishing net float
Inupiaq Eskimo
North... Lot 10
Result :
Not available
Estimate :
Subscribers only
Carved head / fishing net float
Inupiaq Eskimo
North Bering Strait, Alaska
Carved wood, blue bead, mica
H. 8 cm
Provenance:
- Jeffrey R. Collection, New York Myers, New York
- Sotheby's New York, May 18, 2011, lot 66
- Private collection, acquired at the above sale
Hunters and fishermen in the Arctic regions (Alaska, Siberia) have since time immemorial adorned their equipment with shamanic motifs in order to increase its supernatural power and thus maximize their efficiency.
In the belief systems of the cultures bordering the Arctic Circle, each element of the physical world is impregnated with a spirit, a vital force (called inua among the Yup'ik populations of Alaska).
In order to gain the favor of the spirits that control the animals, a hunter had to approach his prey in a respectful manner. Carved objects, by their beauty, attracted the prey and at the same time honored its spirit.
The carved head shown here was attached to the end of a fishing net and served as a float. It shows an expressive human face. The gaze is intense, the mouth is adorned with vertical tattoo marks, one of which contains a fragment of mica deeply embedded in the wood. A blue glass bead is also visible under the nose. This prestigious ornament is probably the result of trade with Russian or Western sailors who were cruising in Arctic waters in the 19th century.
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