The Seasons

About this object

History of use

Contemporary Inuit prints were first produced at Cape Dorset in 1957. Although precursors to printmaking can be seen in women's skin applique work and in men's incising of ivory, stone and bone, the impetus for printmaking was as a commercial venture. This venture was established jointly by Inuit artists and John Houston, the civil administrator for Cape Dorset. Other Inuit communities quickly followed the commercial success of Cape Dorset's West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative. Printmaking developed as a communal activity following a Japanese, rather than a Western, model of serigraph production. Each year the cooperatives produce a series of limited edition prints which are sold in the retail art market. In 1965, the Canadian Eskimo Arts Council was established from the Canadian Eskimo Art Committee to ensure high standards were maintained. Printmaking, along with stone carving, provide cash income for communities which have undergone rapid and significant change, during the late 20th century, from traditional hunting based societies to settled communities dependent on consumer goods. The prevalent images depicted in Inuit art are of traditional life, arctic animals and mythology. Recently, contemporary subjects have been depicted by a minority of artists.

Cultural context

contemporary art

Physical description

Stylized representations of Inuit seasonal activities. Winter: landscape with igloos, stars across top with triangular design; shaman's tent at top left; large sled at top right; dog sled with two men at bottom left. At bottom on right summer: landscape with three flowers, dog, three ducks on water, fish skeleton. Names of artist and printmaker in Inuit syllabics, Cape Dorset stylized red igloo seal in lower corner on left. Pencil inscription below image from side on left: "The seasons lithograph 16/50 Dorset 1976 Pudlo." Canadian Arts Council's blind embossed stamp in lower corner on right.