Charlie James was a prolific and influential Kwakwaka'wakw artist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and stepfather to the well-known 20th century artist Mungo Martin. James was Martin’s most important teacher and co-worker, and his influence can readily be seen in Martin’s signature style of work.

James’s artistry included all manner of traditional objects made for Native use and for sale, including masks, boxes, and carved bowls. He is perhaps best known for totem poles, both full-size examples in traditional and public places, and innumerable models large and small. At just over four feet tall, this is one of his larger model poles.

The figures depicted on the pole (top to bottom) are: A Kolus, or thunderbird, with outstretched, added-on wings that are painted with feather designs, and the breast painted with a face and flowing feathers; a human holding a frog, possibly a shaman; a raven with folded wings; a standing bear grasping an inverted human; and a man, on whose shoulders stands the bear, holding before him an unidentified being, possibly a sea creature with extended pectoral fins.

The figures are carved essentially in the round, their bodies identifiable on the back of the pole. The figures’ heads, the frog, and the inverted human are all sculpturally developed with a great deal of relief and even piercing between the images, and all are covered with James’ detailed painting style in black, red, and blue-green.

Steven C. Brown