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Artworks
PARR (1893-1969) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Hunter and Dog in Pursuit of Polar Bear, Caribou, and Seals, c. 1965-7graphite on paper, 13.75 x 16.25 in (34.9 x 41.3 cm), framed
signed, "ᐸ".
LOT 114
ESTIMATE: $1,000 — $1,500
PRICE REALIZED: $2,160.00Further images
Parr was already in the autumn of his life, in his late sixties, when Terry Ryan encouraged him to embark on a journey into the world of art. His recollections...Parr was already in the autumn of his life, in his late sixties, when Terry Ryan encouraged him to embark on a journey into the world of art. His recollections of a traditional lifestyle that revolved primarily around animals and hunting evidently remained vivid, serving as a constant source of inspiration throughout his brief but significant artistic career.
In this untitled drawing, a hunter, accompanied by his dog, are in pursuit of three distinct prey, a polar bear —flanked by a seal pup — a caribou, and a seal. Parr's life, which began in the late 19th century and spanned the transformative period between traditional and modern times in Canada's Arctic, is mirrored in this self-referential image of Parr as a hunter. That equal size is given to both the hunter and his prey signifies the paramount importance that Arctic wildlife played in survival on the land.Provenance
Acquired c. 1975 from the WBEC by a Private Collection, Ottawa, a member of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (now Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada);
Private Collection, Toronto.