Special Collections

Special Collections
Early Sculpture | Ancient Pottery

Early Inuit Sculpture
from patients at the Hamilton Sanitorium

Sculpture by Inuit artists has held a special place in the Hamilton art world. We are delighted to have at the gallery some pieces that were made in Hamilton during the 1950's; vital links to Hamilton's past.

During the 1950's the Sanitorium at Chedoke Hospital saw an influx of new patients from the North. An epidemic of TB was raging in Arctic communities and to provide treatment, the patients were sent by boat to hospitals in the South. Hamilton was one of three main sites chosen, and for many years there was a community of Inuit patients at the San. As part of the occupational therapy, patients were provided with stone and carving tools and they produced sculpture that has been the pride and joy of many collectors, as well as the Chedoke Hospital.


Kanayuk Tukaluk (Povungnituk) Standing figure	Kanayuk Tukaluk (Povungnituk) Walking bear	Josephee Kudlu (Broughton Island) Sitting bird	Joanasie Tukudluk (Belcher Island) Geese in flight	Joanasie Tukudluk Geese in flight (reverse)

Long before Inuit Sculpture was “discovered” by the rest of the world, the Hospital Auxiliary shop on James Street South was selling the small pieces made by the patients. Many Hamilton residents, collectors and staff at the San were early collectors. The Chedoke collection is on display at the Chedoke Hospital site, as well as on loan to other spaces in the Hamilton Health Sciences buildings. We have been honoured to be the curators of that collection, looking after identification of artists, conservation, appraisal, and advising on donations to add to the collection. We are also delighted to have in the gallery some sculpture for sale that dates back to the mid 1950's.

This is a truly significant connection; Hamilton's first commercial galleries specialized in Inuit art, long before any other galleries in Canada, forming the foundation of very important collections of Inuit sculpture in Hamilton collections.

Ancient Pottery

The collection features pieces from locations in the Southern Levant including archaeological sites in Petra (modern-day Jordan) and sites in ancient Judea and Israel. The collection covers a broad spectrum of time, from Ancient Isrealite Iron Age to the Medeival Islamic era. Pieces exhibit influences from the many cultures of the area, incorporating Judaic, Islamic and Hellenistic themes.

The pottery was once in the collection of Sam and Ayala Zacks.

Pieces:

(4) Pinched rim terracotta oil lamp, Israelite Iron Age (1200-536 BCE)

Terracotta pinched lamp, Possibly Hasmonean era (100-200 BCE)

Nabataean terracotta flask, Petra, 1st century CE

Terracotta flask, Petra, lst century CE

Green glazed ceremaic hooded saucer oil lamp, Ayyubid era (1171-1341 CE)

Green glazed oil lamp, Medieval Islamic era (10-13th century CE)

Terracotta unguentarium, Early Roman period (1st century CE)

Nabataean terracotta vessel with two handles, 1st century CE

Terracotta oil lamp, Early Byzantine (300-800 CE)

Cylinder cuneiform seal, age unknown

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