Osuitok Ipeelee was a great admirer of the female form; young women engaged in a variety of pursuits such as fishing and performing chores were among his very favourite subjects and are much admired by collectors [1]. Surprisingly, however, he carved relatively few depictions of the Inuit sea goddess Sedna; surprising because so many of his Kinngait peers have repeatedly portrayed the sea goddess, typically as an exemplar of feminine beauty. There is, however, one depiction by Osuitok that bears mention, a gorgeous swimming Sea Goddess from 1983, carved in light green stone, which graced the cover of Alma Houston’s book Inuit Art: An Anthology [2].

We are honoured to offer a rare addition to this aspect of Osuitok’s sculptural canon: the stunning Sedna with Plaited Hair, almost certainly carved around the same time as the Sea Goddess. With this sculpture, the artist again shows why he is considered by many to be the greatest Inuit sculptor of all time. This sea goddess is a supremely elegant, poised, and beautifully serene sculpture. As our eye moves from her delicately carved and tilted head with its peaceful facial features, down her slender, sensuous torso, we are struck by the gently echoing curves of braids and arms. Moving around to the back we realize just how delicate her braids are and how exquisite the flip of her tail is. We can also appreciate how Osuitok was a consummate master of balance, both literally and visually. Despite the swelling and tilting forms of her body, this Sedna rests fully stable on her narrow base. We also love how the solid front of the figure contrasts with the negative space created by the finely sculpted braids and tail, providing a visual balance between the front and back of the work. Carved from the light green stone favoured by the artist, Sedna with Plaited Hair firmly attests to Osuitok’s genius.

1. First Arts has offered several superb examples, including the spectacular Fisherwoman from c. 1978-80 in our inaugural May 2019 sale (Lot 28).

2. Alma Houston’s book also contains the article “Osuitok Ipeelee” by Jean Blodgett which illustrates the sculpture on page 53. A fine contemporaneous and similarly styled Swimming Sea Goddess was offered by First Arts, 30 Nov. 2021, Lot 37.