Inuit Figure holding a Fishing Spear in Snowy Landscape

Date: 1907

Epoque: 1900-1925

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimension: 40.5 x 28 cm (16⁰/₁ x 11⁰/₁ inches)

Provenance: Ex Private collection, Denmark
Ex Private UK collection

Literature: cf: 
Harald Viggo Count Moltke, also known as the Northern Lights Painter, was a Danish painter and author. He was educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts 1889 - 93. From 1902 - 1904 he joined the so-called ‘Literary Greenland expedition’ whose purpose was to visit ‘the new people’, the polar inuits of Northern Greenland. Moltke was to provide artistic records of the natives and the expedition, led by Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen, also included Knud Rasmussen and Jørgen Brønlund. Moltke fell ill on the journey and had to stay behind with Mylius-Erichsen while Knud Rasmussen and Jørgen Brønlund went towards Cape York in search of help. Maisainguark was one of the inuits, who rescued the two and led the expedition members to his village, where they were welcomed with open arms. Maisainguark following went back with Knud Rasmussen to fetch Moltke and Mylius-Erichsen.