Bidspirit auction | James Houston (1921-2005), Arctic Drawings

James Houston (1921-2005), Arctic Drawings Folio, Set of Five Prints - A group of five offset lithographs from James Houston’s Arctic Drawings portfolio, circa 1960s–70s. Includes four loose unsigned prints and one example still preserved in its original plastic seal. Each sheet approx. 13 x 18 in. (33 x 46 cm). Subjects include Inuit figures, mother and child, drummers, and hunters, rendered in Houston’s characteristic fluid pen line and minimalist detailing. James Houston is considered the father of modern Inuit art, introducing Inuit sculpture and printmaking to southern Canada in the 1940s and 50s. His Arctic Drawings series remains among his most significant graphic works, bridging documentary ethnography and fine art. Sets with intact sealed examples are uncommon on the market. Provenance: From the original Arctic Drawings portfolio by James Houston; private collection, Montreal.