Through his work with museums such as the Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA) and the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria (RBCM), Mungo Martin was a highly visible figure in the mid-20th century re-evaluation of Northwest Coast art as fine art. He was also an advocate for Indigenous rights and hosted the first legal public potlatch in 1953, two years after the potlatch ban was lifted in 1951 (and sixty-nine years after its implementation in 1884).

As mentioned in Lot 33, Martin was taught to carve by his stepfather, Charlie James. This pole illustrates how Martin took James’s instruction and innovated upon that style. Martin’s figures often appear more substantial than his stepfather’s, with thicker, more refined lines and a cleaner finish. Martin’s freer use of yellow paint in tertiary spaces is another characteristic feature of his work.

This pole features a Thunderbird in a horaltic pose with extended pinion feathers, an inverted Sea Lion, and a crouching Human. The pole is painted in black, yellow, red, and green and is mounted on a handmade base with a beveled edge. The bottom of the base is carved into an elegant U-form. This pole was originally sold through William Webber’s Thunderbird Scenery Shop.

CWS