Inuit Soapstone Seal Hunter with Catch | Ford Motor Co.

Native American, Canadian Arctic, Inuit. A hunter crouches low over his prize, arms folded around the sleek bulk of a seal drawn up against his body. Carved from dense grey-green soapstone with pale veining, the figure conveys the compressed weight of a man bearing his catch, shoulders hunched, hooded head tilted upward, features pared to essential planes. Incised parka seams and boot stitching animate an otherwise smooth, rounded surface, the stone polished to a soft sheen that catches light along each muscular contour. The composition folds man and animal into a single mass, a favored device of Inuit carvers expressing the intimate reciprocity between hunter and hunted. Seal hunting sustained Arctic communities through the long winter, and such sculptures celebrate both the labor of the hunt and the sustaining bounty it delivered. The custom wooden display base bears an engraved plaque reading: "Franklin D. Murphy / Ford Motor Company / Board of Directors / Canadian Meeting / September 11th and 12th, 1968." The presentation records the sculpture's role as a commemorative gift, likely acquired in Canada for the occasion. Franklin D. Murphy (1916-1994) was a physician, chancellor of UCLA, chairman of the Times Mirror Company, and a noted arts patron who served on numerous corporate boards; he sat on the board of Ford Motor Company during this period. The dated dedication provides a firm terminus for the carving and situates it within the postwar flourishing of Inuit stone sculpture, a movement fostered from the late 1940s onward as cooperatives brought Arctic carvers' work to southern and international collectors. This item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony (STOP) Act or other federal laws protecting Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian cultural heritage. As such, it is not eligible for international shipping, and may also be subject to repatriation or tribal consultation within the United States. Buyers are responsible for ensuring their legal right to acquire, possess, or transfer this item under all applicable laws. This lot cannot be shipped outside the United States. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 203750

Estimation:€267.45

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