Charles Edenshaw

This is the first survey of the iconic figure in Northwest Coast art- Charles Edenshaw. Bringing together the largest number of works by Charles Edenshaw ever assembled, offering a rare opportunity to view his legacy. Working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, he was an exceptional carver of wood, silver and argillite, imbuing traditional Haida design with an innovative and elegant personal style. Recognized in his time as an outstanding carver, his work continues to be a great inspiration to those who visit the many prominent museums around the world that hold his acclaimed artworks in their collections. Not only do these remarkable objects tell us much about Haida culture, but they are truly sophisticated in their aesthetic achievement.

In collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery and the largest retrospective of Edenshaw's work to date. The book sets up the Haida tradition and explains Edenshaw's Haida roots, including interviews with descendants from the region. Edenshaw's distinct style is addressed along with the issues surrounding attribution with the Haida artworks. Charles Edenshaw carved into wood, argillite and precious metals. His work has been collected by anthropologists and curators in an attempt to record Haida art and culture before it died. Other Haida artists in the tradition include Charles F. Newcombe, Franz Boas and John R. Swanton.

Much attention is given to the legacy of Charles Edenshaw and the contemporary artists that he influenced, the book includes an interview with contemporary artists Raymond Boisjoly, Neil Campbell, Robert Linsley and Isabel Rorick. Edenshaw's work is photographed here in this first major monograph on the important Haida artist, ideal for anyone with an interest in Northwest Coast art.

Kathleen Bartels: Kathleen Bartels is the Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Jim Hart: is a Haida artist working in Canada.