Peter Tukai
Canadian, 1921 - 1976Harpooner, mid 20th Century
On view
Soapstone, bone and leather
Dimensions3 3/8 × 4 3/4 × 3 15/16 in. (8.6 × 12.1 × 10 cm)
Gift of Mrs. Keith Davis, 1982.197
Inuit artists such as Peter Tukai began carving small sculptures inspired by their daily lives and traditions such as hunting. In the past, hunting was a sacred activity and involved the entire community. The Inuit are highly skilled at creating forms with minimal materials, they have a unique ability to create with organic materials found in nature.
The Inuit people carved tools, weapons, and utensils from any materials they could find. Ivory, bone, and antler were the most frequently used materials because of their strength. Sometimes objects were created from soapstone and driftwood. Of all the traditional carving materials, stone was used infrequently because it is heavy and fragile and was formerly used for carving everyday items. However, stone became popular for carving sculpture after 1948 because it was more available than ivory.
