Inuit ivory drumming shaman carving

Walrus ivory figure of a drumming shaman wearing a seal skin head cover on a fossilized ivory base featuring an animated standing male figure leaning towards his left side. The right arm is raised above his head holding a separate ivory beating stick. The left forearm extends across the body holding a separate ivory drum (frame). The seal skin head cover has inlayed baleen eyes and black painted nose, mouth, whisker pits, a pair of dots on the forehead and nails. A rectangular slab of discolored fossilized ivory used for the base. Carved by a famous artist Ronald Apangalook or Qaygehutkaq ("Put on Top") and hallmark inscribed "QAY" at the bottom near the edge. Yupik Eskimo

PERIOD: Est 1980s

ORIGIN: Eskimo, Alaska

SIZE: 17.5cm H; 12.3cm Figure; Excluding beating stick