Eskimo Artists

Hans Himmelheber describes the cultural and artistic heritage of the Yup’ik in southwestern Alaska during the late 1930s. His work is remarkable because he emphasized drawing, carving, and painting as part of a narrative process instead of focusing on Yup’ik art as artifacts. Eskimo Artists is rich in examples attributed to named orators, and interpretation is kept to a minimum. Himmelheber includes family histories, daily and ceremonial activities of the men and women he met, and their opinions about artistic expression.