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“He carves totem poles which tell the history of his people”
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A Native Alaskan Artist
France has its Millet, Italy its Raphael, and the natives of Alaska look with almost equal pride upon their Tsimpsean artist, Henry S. Haldane. He does not know when he was born. It was long before Father Duncan brought his gift of the gospel to the Alaskan Indians. But no one can view the paintings of this self-taught native without feeling that—with proper training—the divine spark implanted in him would have brought rich fruitage.
On the wall of Father Duncan’s church in Metlakatla hangs a picture of an open Bible. So perfect is it that you will have to look closely to see that it is painted on canvas. It is the work of this artist, painted over thirty years ago. A hundred years from now it will be preserved in our national museum as one of the most valuable of early Alaskan art treasures.
“Christ’s Agony in Gethsemane” was recently painted by Haldane for the new Salvation Army Hall in Metlakatla, although he is now almost blind. The paintings of the Sun, Star, Moon and Rainbow Houses reproduced in this book are his work.
The first native photographer in Alaska, unassisted, he acquired a knowledge of photography that for a time opened up to him an interesting field of work. But six years ago unkind Fate dealt him a cruel blow. Born blind in one eye, an accident made him almost blind in the other eye. While chopping wood a chip struck the eyeball, hopelessly injuring it.