Inuit Haida Framed Argillite Plate Lithograph of a Sea Monster.
Description of work written in pencil bottom middle. Argillite is a dark, fine-grained sedimentary rock similar to shale that appears in abundance in the Haida Gwaii, the archipelago where most of the tribe lives. This image was first created in the 1980s, as indigenous artists began experimenting with new ways to preserve their history and culture through prints and modern techniques. Frame is lightweight aluminum.
Condition: Commensurate with age.
Overall Size: 18 3/4 x 17 1/2 in.
Sight Size: 18 x 12 in.
The Haida are an Indigenous group who have occupied the area between British Columbia and Washington for approximately 12,500 years, renowned for their craftsmanship, trading skills, and highly stylized Northwest Coast art. For millennia, the Haida practiced a rigorous coast-wide legal and social system called Potlatch, which became the English loanword "potluck." Following forced annexation, the 1862 smallpox epidemic tragically reduced the population from over 6,000 to 829, with cultural practices further decimated by the 1885 Potlatch Ban. Today, the Haida have revitalized their culture, achieving full autonomy over their ancestral islands of Haida Gwaii and cooperatively managing the Gwaii Haanas National Park with the Canadian government.
Commensurate with age.
All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.
Available payment options
We accept all major credit cards, wire transfers, money orders, checks and PayPal. Please give us a call at (941) 359-8700 or email us at SarasotaEstateAuction@gmail.com should you have any questions about payment.