#80 • John Hoover "Woman Who Married an Earth Worm" Carving

Part of June 2025 Premier Auction (live auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $1,600.00

Status: Sold

Category: Ethnographic Objects

A hand carved cedar plank with painted image entitled "Woman Who Married an Earthworm" by the late Aleut-Dutch artist John Jay Hoover (1919-2011) originally from Cordova, Alaska. The artist's work has often been described as a mix of Pacific Northwest cultures, in particular Salish, which is perhaps less rigid in style; borrowing from the centuries-old formline designs, his work features the same ovoid shapes with thin formline carved grooves and negative space, along with the traditional shades of oil paints in black, teal, red, yellow, and white. This example depicts a stylized earthworm with narrow face, a nude woman within the worm's body, and a human face curled within the worm's tail. Titled and signed en verso, the piece shows evidence of former hanging hardware that is no longer present; some surface scuffs and wear are visible as shown. Measures approximately 9.25" x 36" tall.