First Arts: Inuit & First Nations Art

May 28, 2019

LOT 15

Lot 15

KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C.. R.C.A. (1927-2013)

KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C.. R.C.A. (1927-2013)
Lot 15 Details
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C.. R.C.A. (1927-2013), E7-1035, Cape Dorset / Kinngait

THE WOMAN WHO LIVES IN THE SUN

stonecut
1960, 36/50
19.5 x 25.75 in — 49.5 x 65.4 cm

Estimate $35,000-$50,000

Realised: $78,000
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Provenance:

a Toronto private collection

Note:

As with Kenojuak’s The Enchanted Owl, from the same year, this iconic image was printed in two different colours. The first half of the edition was printed in yellow, the second in an orange-red. Apparently the decision was not intentional for this print; the print shop simply ran out of yellow ink and was obliged to switch to red! Thus was born the one print that could be said to truly rival The Enchanted Owl in terms of its imagery and its powerful graphic punch. This crisply printed red copy of The Woman Who Lives in the Sun has the same impact as the day it was printed; the brilliant color has lost none of its intensity.

The idea of the sun as the giver of life, light, joy, and abundance is especially poignant in the Arctic, where the sun is absent so much of the year. This splendid image reflects Inuit belief in the distinctly feminine nature of the sun, emphasized and made literal by means of the striking traditional women’s chin tattoos which radiate down from the sun-woman’s mouth. The concept of the sun’s womanhood no doubt stems from the famous Inuit story of a sister and brother who unwittingly committed incest. Filled with shame, the sister fled with a lighted torch, pursued by her brother, whose torch was soon extinguished. The two rose up to the heavens where she was transformed into the sun and he into the moon.

After the death of her beloved husband Johnniebo in 1972, Kenojuak claimed that this image and several others were actually his. Terry Ryan, who had bought the original drawing directly from Kenojuak, remained convinced that its style was clearly hers (personal communication, 2012). We agree; while the original drawing is lost, the two contemporaneous drawings referenced below (which are Kenojuak’s) incorporate an almost identical sun image. Furthermore, the radiating rays of the sun closely resemble the radiating feathers of The Enchanted Owl.

References: this famous image by Kenojuak is widely illustrated, including in Ernst Roch ed., Arts of the Eskimo: Prints (Signum/Oxford, 1974) cover and p. 37; in the National Museum of Man travelling exhibition catalogue The Inuit Print (NMM, 1977) p. 59; also in Leslie Boyd Ryan, Cape Dorset Prints: A Retrospective (Pomegranate, 2007) p. 53; and in James Houston, Eskimo Prints (Longman, 1971) p. 38. For two related graphite drawings by Kenojuak see Marion Jackson and Judith Nasby, Contemporary Inuit Drawings (Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, 1987) cat. 32; and Jean Blodgett, Kenojuak (Mintmark/Firefly, 1985) p. 47. For a version of this work printed in yellow see Walker’s Nov. 2014, Lot 15.

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 15
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.