ALASKA, Masks of Alaska. The Alphonse Pinart Collection. - Lot 3

ALASKA, Masks of Alaska. The Alphonse Pinart Collection. Boulogne-sur-Mer, Beaux-Arts Éditions, undated [circa 2001]. Quarto, illustrated paperback. A catalog dedicated to the exceptional ethnographic collection assembled by Alphonse Pinart (1852–1911), a French explorer, linguist, and ethnologist who traveled throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest in the second half of the 19th century. His collections, among the most significant ever brought back to France regarding the indigenous cultures of Alaska, now constitute a major cultural heritage collection. The book presents a remarkable collection of ceremonial masks, ritual objects, and artifacts from the Aleut, Yupik, and Alutiiq peoples, among others. Richly illustrated in color and black-and-white, it places each piece within its historical, anthropological, and artistic context, highlighting the symbolic richness of the spiritual traditions and ceremonial practices of the Arctic peoples. Beyond their ethnographic significance, these works demonstrate a striking artistic inventiveness, whose expressive forms and polychrome decorations have fascinated art historians, collectors, and museums. An interesting reference catalog devoted to one of France’s most significant collections of Alaskan indigenous art, richly illustrated and well-documented.