ir-hakodesh: Rosh Hashanah greeting, attributed to Happy Jack (born Angokwazhuk) (Inupiaq, b. Alaska
ir-hakodesh: Rosh Hashanah greeting, attributed to Happy Jack (born Angokwazhuk) (Inupiaq, b. Alaska, c. 1870-1918), Nome, Alaska, United States, 1910, engraved walrus tus and gold insetWith the arrival of whalers in the 19th century, Inuit carvers expanded their repertoires as they exchanged techniques and materials. The complexity and diversity of Inuit subjects increased as more sophisticated interpretations displaced schematic figures and linear ornamentation. The most innovative and influential of the carvers was the Alaskan Inuit Angokwazhuk, known as “Happy Jack.” He is credited with the introduction, after 1892, of the art of engraving walrus tusks with a very fine needle, which resulted in an almost perfect imitation of newspaper halftones and fabric textures.On this tusk, he ably recorded the faces and attire of a religiously observant Jewish couple, believed to have run a store in Nome. The woman seems to be wearing a wig and is dressed in typical turn-of-the-century style. The man’s beard is neatly trimmed; his top hat suggests a holiday or formal occasion. The Hebrew inscription delivers the traditional Jewish New Year greeting: “May you be inscribed for a good year, 5671 [1910].” In English is added: “Nome, Alaska.” -- source link