GEORGE TATANNIQ (1910-1991) QAMANI'TUAQ (BAKER LAKE)
Muskox, c. 1977
stone and muskox horn, 4.5 x 8.75 x 3.25 in (11.4 x 22.2 x 8.3 cm)
signed, "ᑕᑕᓂ".

ESTIMATE: $4,000 — $6,000

Provenance
Waddington's, Toronto, November 2010 Lot 245;
Acquired from the above Norman Zepp & Judith Varga, Saskatoon, SK.

The muskox was a subject that Tatanniq would revisit frequently over a period of two decades and it is interesting to look at the evolution of their design. Tatanniq’s muskoxen from the early 1960s are rather tall and svelte, perched atop almost delicate legs. As he moved into the 1970s, Tatanniq began making muskoxen that were often shorter and more stout and solid. And whereas his earlier beasts were usually given a smooth finish, the ‘70s sculptures paid greater attention to the long coarse guard hairs that make the muskox such a visually striking animal. In other words, the artist moved from semi-abstraction to a greater naturalism. In this fine example we see an animal standing at rest on a calm day. The almost exclusively vertical striations of its coat confirm this, conveying to this charming beast an air of serenity and strength.



References: For a discussion of Tatanniq’s work see Norman Zepp, Pure Vision: The Keewatin Spirit (Regina: Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, 1986); for works see pp. 122-129. For another rare example of a muskox with a textured surface see Walker’s Auctions, 16 May 2018, Lot 80.