Fortællingen om Kunuk den forældreløse: Kunuk overvinder kæmpen Ungilaktake og hans kammerater 1858 - 1860

Aron from Kangeq made this woodcut, sometime in the mid-19th century, to illustrate a Greenlandic folk tale. The graphic quality of a woodcut comes from the way the artist carves into a block of wood, leaving raised areas that will receive ink. You can see that here, in the dense parallel lines that describe the landscape, the figures’ clothing, and even the sky. It’s a labor-intensive process, demanding great skill and control. But it’s not just about technique. Woodcuts like this one were originally made to circulate stories and information, often in printed form. They were a means of mass communication. So, while Aron was undoubtedly a gifted artist, he was also participating in a wider social and cultural landscape, where image-making served a vital purpose in Greenlandic society. It reminds us that art is never created in a vacuum, but is always intertwined with the world around it.