Canadian Folk Art To 1950

Immerse yourself in more than 425 previously unpublished colour photographs of Canada's disappearing traditional folk art. The authors' discovery of distinctive objects from across Canada inspired them to re-classify folk art, and to analyze and interpret their examples in 17 thematic chapters. The "aesthetic of the everyday" of Canada's material heritage is presented through paintings and carvings, quilts and rugs, tables and trade signs-just to mention a few. These traditional art forms of diverse community groups express a decorative cultural identity, documented through the unique lens of photographer James A. Chambers. Historians, curators, collectors, designers, and dealers, as well as anyone who appreciates material culture, will want to have this collection in their libraries.

The Meta Incognita Project investigates Martin Frobisher's Arctic expeditions of 1576-78 (which included the first English attempt to establish a colony in Canada and to mine its mineral resources) and their effects on the culture of the Inuit he encountered. The project is also aimed at ensuring the long-term protection of the historic sites associated with these expeditions. This progress report -- published under the auspices of the Project Steering Committee -- focuses particularly, but not exclusively, on field investigations conducted in 1991 and on the analytical work supporting them. It comprises papers by Canadian and American archaeologists, anthropologists and geologists, as well as other scientists engaged in the project. Besides the preliminary findings from their work, the papers present an introduction to the historical context and to the problems and questions facing researchers. This publication is a joint project of the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Arctic Studies Center, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.