Human

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.

In oral traditions across the Northwest Coast there are many human heroes and legends. These figures are depicted in many ways. Some figures might represent a chief or shaman, while others an ancestor. Ancestors are incredibly important in Northwest Coast culture; thus, you will often see human portraits in the artwork depicting an ancestor figure.

Freestanding Human figures can range in size from small amulets to large-scale poles several feet high. As amulets, they are often a guardian symbol whereas the larger human figures can represent a welcoming figure. Human-like personifications of the sun and wind are common in Northwest Coast artwork as well.
32 items

"Bella Coola Face" Mask
Joe Peters Jr. (Kwakwaka'wakw)

1984 Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals tha...

1984 Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.Humans a...

$4,200.00

Portrait Rattle
Glen Edwards (Salish)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions. Humans appea...

$700.00

Salmon Mother Sees Ghosts
Gerry Sheena (Salish)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.Salmon was a ...

$4,000.00

Killer Whale Transforming Panel
Don Yeomans (Haida)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions. Killer Whale...

$25,000.00

Raven with Two Humans Bracelet
Robert Davidson (Haida)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.Raven is one ...

$40,000.00

Thunderbird and Human Model Pole
Charlie James (Kwakwaka'wakw)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.Thunderbird i...

$3,200.00

Sacred Gender
Margaret August (Salish)

Edition /100 Available framed for $700 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly. "Sacred Gender i...

Edition /100 Available framed for $700 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly. "Sacred Gender is symbolized by Two-Spirit people within Indigenous cultures in North America. Two-Spirit people embody the perfect balance of a male and female spirit. Today, the Two-Spirit term is best described to (self) identify gender variance, or being queer and gender queer to name a few. In community, their roles are ceremonial and may vary anywhere from being shamans, to dream interpreters, artists to we...

$200.00

Portrait Pendant
Russell Smith (Kwakwaka'wakw)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.In oral tradi...

$900.00

Killer Whale Rattle
Ken McNeil (Tahltan)

Dimensions with base: 10 ¾" H x 4" W x 7" D   Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast o...

Dimensions with base: 10 ¾" H x 4" W x 7" D   Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral h...

$8,000.00

Eagles and Human Bracelet
Corey Moraes (Tsimshian)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.Eagle is an e...

$800.00

Helping Hands
Ses Saunders (Nuxalk)

Edition /60 This print is only available framed. 

Edition /60 This print is only available framed. 

$800.00

Reflections
Robert Davidson (Haida)

1977 Edition /73 This print is only available framed. Please contact the gallery directly. Indige...

1977 Edition /73 This print is only available framed. Please contact the gallery directly. Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characterist...

$3,800.00

Women, Whorls, Wisdom
Dylan Thomas (Salish)

Edition /150 Available framed for $700 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly. "In Women, Whorl...

Edition /150 Available framed for $700 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly. "In Women, Whorls, Wisdom, I am exploring the idea of the sacred mother – the feminine wisdom and leadership that helped create and maintain the cultural systems of my ancestors. In doing so, I am also honoring the many women in my life that have nurtured and guided me throughout my life. The noble women of Coast Salish culture traditionally played an important role in the logistic, diplomatic, and ritual operati...

$230.00

The Strength That Resides In Us All
Robert Mills (Tlingit)

"All too often, Tlingit (and all Indigenous) narratives are disregarded as legends or myths, not ...

"All too often, Tlingit (and all Indigenous) narratives are disregarded as legends or myths, not taking into account the thousands of years spent discerning humanity. From those thousands of years spent observing, came to fruition chronicles that were implemented to help navigate generations forward. One of which was the history of Dukt’ootl’ (Blackskin), he is our ‘Strongman’, that is frequently remembered for tearing a seal lion in half; what is often forgotten is the strength he enacted by...

$20,000.00

Portrait Mask
Joshua Prescott-Shaw (Cree)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.In oral tradi...

$6,000.00

Thunderbird, Bear, and Human Model Pole
Charlie James (Kwakwaka'wakw)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.Thunderbird i...

$9,000.00

Fisherman's Delight
Robert Davidson (Haida)

Edition /81 Available framed for $2,350 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly.   "Based on a 2...

Edition /81 Available framed for $2,350 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly.   "Based on a 2019 acrylic-on-canvas work of the same title. At that time, Davidson explained the work's inspiration: 'I went fishing with Reg and his friend Tom Wylie last summer. I was really taken because they were charged with excitement. They kept handing me a rod but I was just happy to watch because they were really interesting... When we went to the river to fish we were excited to know that we had reple...

$1,800.00

Portrait Mask
Gwen Adams (Gitxsan)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions. In oral trad...

$1,800.00

Eagle Woman Frog Bracelet
Jesse Brillon (Haida)

Jesse Brillon is a master of the repoussé technique, a skill that is highlighted in this remarkab...

Jesse Brillon is a master of the repoussé technique, a skill that is highlighted in this remarkable bracelet. Repoussé is a technique that involves hammering the material from the backside of the piece to create an image in high relief on the front of the piece. The technique is often accompanied by chasing, which is when the work is indented on the frontside to create concave sections of the design. Together, these techniques result in a sculptural work with exceptional depth and dimension. ...

$11,000.00

EE-ish-soo-ilth
Ron Hamilton (Nuu-chah-nulth)

1972Edition 12/120This print is only available framed.

1972Edition 12/120This print is only available framed.

$800.00

Euh Tinn
Ron Hamilton (Nuu-chah-nulth)

1972Edition 37/50This print is only available framed.

1972Edition 37/50This print is only available framed.

$800.00

Wonder Child
Alvin Adkins (Haida)

Edition /200 Available framed for $600 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly. Indigenous artw...

Edition /200 Available framed for $600 CAD. Please contact the gallery directly. Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from ...

$200.00

Pacific Spirit '91
Susan Point (Salish)

1991 Edition 93/200 This print is only available framed. Indigenous artwork on the Pacific North...

1991 Edition 93/200 This print is only available framed. Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, incl...

$1,150.00