During the 1960s and 1970s, artists across the Eastern Canadian Arctic briefly turned to whale bone as a sculptural medium, drawn to its textured surface and natural forms. Though this practice declined with rising regulations and shifting tastes, works like the present carving, alongside others in this sale, capture the spirit of that period: inventive, resourceful, and deeply rooted in local materials.

The present Resting Caribou Calf is a compelling blend of approaches seen in lots 54 and 60. The artist has followed the natural shape of the dense whale bone, yet carefully sculpted the form to evoke a kneeling young caribou with striking anatomical accuracy. Small antler nubs also signal its youth, while oversized inlaid black eyes give it a soft, saucer-eyed expression. It’s tender, unguarded, and impossibly sweet, presenting a moment of stillness in the Arctic tundra.