Isaac Tait, the son of Nisga'a master carver Norman Tait, is an artist whose life was cut tragically short at just 35 years old. Showing a strong affinity for his father's realistic style and sharing his fondness for alder, Isaac was an accomplished carver in his own right. This sale offers a fascinating opportunity to compare their carving styles between two masks with identical imagery: Volcano Woman (see previous Lot 24). What is revealed is Isaac’s rounder carving, with a broader, softer face that still maintains the pronounced cheekbones and realism of his father's style. Isaac's Frogs are broader and softer, too, and his mask incorporates more classic formal elements, such as prominent eyebrows and the incised line around the nose. Still, these masks are more similar than not, and it's likely that they were made by these great artists at the same time, side-by-side.

CWS