Augustin Anaittuq, “Ivories from Pelly Bay”

A skilled carver and highly original talent, Augustin Anaittuq is known by collectors for his spirit sculpture in whalebone and mixed media, and for his refined miniature ivories. Both are characterized by novel and uncommon imagery, and in his ivories, by sometimes unusual, even startling subject matter.

Anaittuq began carving circa 1966. A successful and prosperous hunter, it is said that in his early years he actually carved very little, and was never prolific.

In 1975, Anaittuq made a group of forty sculptures which were acquired by the pioneering Canadian art dealer Avrom Isaacs, and exhibited at his Toronto gallery dedicated to Inuit art, The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art, in 1979. The sculptures were all exceptionally finely finished miniature ivories, and typical of the style and size made in Arviliqjuaq (Pelly Bay). Speaking of their subject matter of the works, curator and scholar Jean Blodgett noted a unique “diversity of subjects from the everyday to the supernatural, from the whimsical to the starkly realistic, from the humorous to the tragic.”

Mundanities of Arctic life such as congresses of birds, drying fish, and people tanning skins take on a special appeal at the hands of Anaittuq. Other more conflicting subjects such as the arrival of Qallunaat (the whites), abuse of alcohol, contemplation of mortality, and even suicide and murder are investigated in minute detail. It is notable that not until Bill Nasogaluak in the early 2000s have such subjects, invariably accompanied by discomfort, and sometimes shame, received mainstream approval in the world of Inuit art.

Depictions of otherworldly or mythical events are also present in several sculptures, notably including stories well known to collectors such as the tale of the man and the giant (lot 22), dogs barking to frighten off malevolent spirits (lot 23), and the story of Natturalik (a kidnapping bird spirit) (lot 24), but also lesser known stories associated with the Netsilikmiut, the people who reside in the region of Arviliqjuaq. An example of the latter being an obscure variation on an episode in the myth of Aviliayuk, the sea goddess, known elsewhere in the Arctic as Sedna, Nuliajuk, Taleelayo etc. (lot 25).

Believing in the significance of the collection as a whole, devoted collector and Inuit art enthusiast Dr. Norman Epstein purchased the entire 40 piece collection, and in 1985 lent a selection of 32 of the sculptures for a dedicated solo exhibition of the collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). In 1988-91, four sculptures were exhibited in the landmark traveling exhibition In The Shadow of the Sun: Perspectives on Contemporary Native Art. Works from the collection have subsequently be published both in Jean Blodgett’s catalogue for the AGO exhibition, and in the German edition of the catalogue for In The Shadow of the Sun, Im Schatten Der Sonne: Zeitgenossische Kunst der Indianer und Eskimos in Kanada.

Singularly important in the oeuvre of Anaittuq, curator Jean Blodgett noted a broader significance to the collection of 32 works exhibited, observing the humanizing aspect of a body of work which which shows the Inuit not as a romantic ideal, but as “fellow human beings who have strengths and weaknesses, who suffer or laugh; [seeing the collection] we go beyond viewing them simply as an alien culture with different beliefs and practices.”

At the time of the AGO exhibition in 1985, Anaittuq was asked whether he wanted to say anything to people who viewed the 32 sculptures in the exhibition. He replied: “Someday I will no longer be carving. Now I’m not getting any younger. I want people to remember me after I’m dead. But my carvings will be here forever if they are well looked after.”

About the Collector

Among the first generation of passionate Canadian collectors of Inuit sculpture, Dr. Norman Epstein acquired his first artwork from the Canadian Guild of Crafts Shop in Montreal in 1956. He would go on to purchase important Inuit artwork guided by pioneering figures in the Canadian art scene including Avrom Isaacs, Harold Seidelman, and M.F. (Budd) Feheley. Dr. Epstein however remained true to his own sensibilities and personal preferences, building a varied collection around themes such as mothers and children, miniature ivories, and depictions of bears. Notably his collection was almost solely composed of sculpture, preferring the medium’s “tactility” and “spiritual warmth” over Inuit graphics.

Exhibiting artworks at his offices for the enjoyment of his patients, Dr. Epstein also actively lent to several provincial and national exhibitions. Part of a firm conviction for Dr. Epstein about the cultural value of his chosen collecting field, he stated plainly in a 1990 interview with Inuit Art Quarterly, “Inuit art is a Canadian heritage”.

By the 1990s, Dr. Epstein was making fewer changes to his collection. While often shared with the public, the collection was also deeply personal for him, treasured through its many iterations over 60 years. Dr. Epstein notes of his sculptures at the close of the article, “I love them so much, which may be a sickness for which there is no cure”.

About the auction:

Featuring artworks from the pioneering collection of Dr. Norman Epstein alongside selections from the Lavrov-Costakis collection of historical art, highlights from our Major Spring Auction of Inuit Art include significant works by Karoo Ashevak, Pauta Saila, Augustin Anaittuq, Nuna Parr, Tudlik, Kenojuak Ashevak, David Ruben Piqtoukun, John Tiktak, Davie Atchealak, Pierre Karlik, and other notable artists, as well an important collection of ancient Arctic ivories.

Browse the digital catalogue

Please contact us for more information.

Bidding is available May 14 – May 28, 2026.

On view at our Toronto gallery:

 Wednesday, May 20 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Thursday, May 21 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
 Friday, May 22 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Saturday, May 23 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
 Sunday, May 24 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
 Monday, May 25 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Tuesday, May 26 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Wednesday, May 27 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Or by appointment.