Fortællingen om Uvikiak: Han finder den dræbte søn 1822 - 1869

Aron of Kangeq made this woodcut, titled "The Tale of Uvikiak: He Finds His Murdered Son," in Greenland in the mid-19th century. It depicts a father discovering his son's body, a tragic scene rendered in stark black and white. Aron belonged to a generation of Greenlandic artists whose work offers a fascinating glimpse into a society undergoing rapid change due to increasing contact with European culture and institutions. The artwork is part of a larger narrative cycle based on Inuit oral tradition. But it also reflects the artist's engagement with Christian missionaries. Consider the visual language. The figures are drawn with a simplicity that echoes both Inuit art and European folk traditions. What does it mean to represent a traditional story in a hybrid style? Whose expectations are being met? Whose values are being reflected? To truly understand this work, we need to delve into the complex social and cultural history of 19th-century Greenland. By studying missionary records, travel accounts, and collections of folklore, we can begin to appreciate the layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly simple image.