Muskox

Qamani'tuaq (Baker Lake)
Stone
6.5" x 8.5" x 3.5"

This commanding sculpture of a muskox by the late master carver Barnabus Arnasungaaq (1924–2017) exemplifies his remarkable ability to evoke both the physical weight and quiet strength of his animal subjects with an economy of form that is uniquely his own. The creature’s mammoth-like build is emphasized through a dramatically exaggerated shoulder hump and rounded, compact face, from which stubby, downward-curving horns emerge. Characteristic of Arnasungaaq’s mature style from the early 1970s onward, the surface of the sculpture is intricately incised with rhythmic grooves to suggest the heavy fur of the animal, adding texture and to the muskox formidable presence. Sculpted from dark stone local to Qamani’tuaq, Arnasungaaq’s muskox radiates a timeless, grounded strength—at once ancient and vividly alive.