MU S EU M CATA LO GU E
Inuit Pipe
Catalogue No. Na1104
AUTHOR ANNE MARIE SCANLON
PHOTO DEREK TAN
C
arving or sculpting is one of the
most traditional forms of Inuit
art, and also one of the most
lasting. Historically the Inuit were a
nomadic people, and their work needed
to be easy to move from place to place
during the different seasons, which is
why it is uncommon for a piece of Inuit
art to be larger than the size of a hand.
This small tobacco pipe was hand carved
circa 1900 and reflects the Inuit’s traditional way of life. In 1949 the Inuit began
to settle into communities and the Canadian government began to encourage the
carving industry as a source of income.
As a result, new forms of traditional and
conventional art developed rapidly in
those communities.
Between 1818 and 1918 there were
roughly two hundred exploratory expeditions by various explorers hoping to
discover a Northwest Passage. This had a
definite effect on the lifestyle of the Inuit
people. The natives of the Arctic began to
trade with the new explorers or those who
ventured out to find valuable whale oil. The
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trading between the Inuit and the Europeans had little impact on the traditional
lifestyle at first, as they mainly traded small
items such as needles and playing cards.
Soon, however, knives made out of
steel and rifles replaced the traditional
Inuit hunting weapons made out of stone
or wood, and everyday articles such as
soapstone pots and kettles were replaced
with ones made of metal. During this
period (often referred to as Late Historic
Inuit Art) there was what some may call
a stagnation of art, as conventional European methods overtook the traditional.
There was a greater demand for souvenir
art from Europeans, and ivory sculptures
with their great detail were admired.
This small, delicate pipe (measuring
no larger than 8 cm) is adorned with intricate designs all over the body. At the tip of
the pipe is a small carving of a beaver that
appears to be gnawing on a log. The pipe
was designed with nature in mind and the
small bumps carved in the side resemble
those that are naturally found on a log or
fallen tree. Inuit art often depicts scenes of
nature, animals, and hunting, which were
held in high regard within their culture.
Inuit works of art were made exclusively out of natural products such as
bone, soapstone, and wood. This piece
would have been carved from a single
piece of ivory. Before 1945, their works of
art were either practical, such as tobacco
pipes or needle cases, or toys, such as dolls.
A common problem many art historians
encounter with this general period of
Inuit art is that there is little to no documentation of the artist or where the piece
was made. Furthermore, pieces were often
not seen as valuable and broken or simply
discarded, resulting in much of the art
being lost to us today.
After 1945 art became more common
among Arctic residents, and while traditional aesthetics were not lost, art was
made for different reasons. This small pipe
was crafted with care and great detail and
perhaps used to trade with Europeans. It
was a piece of value due to its practical
nature and fine detail.