Parr ᐸ (1893-1969)
UNTITLED (HUNTERS AND ANIMALS)
no visible signature; unframed
sheet 23.75 x 18 in — 60.3 x 45.7 cm
November 30, 2023
Estimate $3,000-$5,000
Realised: $8,794.50
For almost 50 years Terry Ryan was the art advisor and general manager of the West Baffin Co-operative (WBEC). Much like his predecessor and fellow Ontario College of Art graduate James Houston, Ryan had a passion for the Arctic and its people, with whom he lived for the better part of his life. Speaking of Ryan in his 2017 obituary in The Globe and Mail, John Westren of Dorset Fine Arts said of Ryan that he dedicated himself to the task of supporting the co-op: “it was his whole life. He was one of those old-fashioned men of integrity.” (1)
Ryan was passionate about the art, and worked closely with nearly all of the early, now-celebrated Kinngait artists. Selections from the Terry Ryan collection were offered by Waddington’s in 2019 and again in 2020. We are pleased to be able to offer an additional installment of important works from Ryan’s collection.
1. Stoffman, Judy. “The godfather of Inuit art.” The Globe and Mail. September 17, 2017. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/inuit-arts-patron-terry-ryan-had-a-passion-for-thearctic/article36286400/.
Inuit, First Nations & Métis Art
Waddington’s is internationally recognized as one of the leading authorities in marketing Inuit Art. No other auction house has been as intrinsically linked to the development of a market for this art form. From our first landmark auction in 1978 of the William Eccles Collection, Waddington’s has offered thousands of works, set record prices, and expanded the market well beyond Canada’s borders. Our legacy of successful Inuit Art auctions, our ability to achieve continually increasing values and our creation of an international market have been key factors in validating Inuit art as a whole and establishing it as an integral part of the Canadian Art scene.