It pains us to leave a magnificent sculpture unattributed, although a couple of important names come to mind. The shape of the faces and their quite distinctive features suggest Francis Kaluraq (1931-1990), although his figures tend to be much blockier in form. Another possibility is David Iqutaaq (1929-1984), whose striking early 1960s sculptures have always impressed us. This figure of a Mother and Child is both substantial and delicate, powerful and serene. We love how the woman’s formidable shoulders contrast with her slender limbs, as she moves forward at a gentle walking pace. Superb.

References: For fine works by Francis Kaluraq see George Swinton, Eskimo Sculpture, (Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, Ltd., 1965), pp. 93, 100; George Swinton, Sculpture of the Inuit, (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1972/92), fig. 684, p. 222; Canadian Eskimo Arts Council, Sculpture / Inuit: Masterworks of the Canadian Arctic, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1971), cat. 259; First Arts, 5 December 2022, Lot 51. For fine early works by David Ikutaaq see George Swinton, Eskimo Sculpture, (Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, Ltd., 1965), pp. 114-115; George Swinton, Sculpture of the Inuit, (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1972/92), figs. 119, 673-677; Canadian Eskimo Arts Council, Sculpture / Inuit: Masterworks of the Canadian Arctic, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1971), cats. 262, 263, 368.