It's believed that the Inuit have been creating distinctive works of art for over 3,000 years but, until the 1940s, the people and their culture were relatively isolated for obvious, geographic reasons. A 1948 Montreal exhibition of carvings sparked intense interest and, during the 50s and 60s, a new marketing co-operative caused the artform to become increasingly better known, hence TD's collection.

Traditional carvings use localised materials such as whalebone, walrus tusks and teeth, antlers and stone, and still reflect the world surrounding the Inuit, focussing on natural imagery and animism (bears, seals, birds), sledding and family-oriented scenes and liberal references to Arctic mythology. The mystery, power and ferocity is portrayed in quizzical birds and bloodied bears with gnashing teeth - no sentiment or cuteness here. Similarly, the respect given to life-affirming scenes (birth is celebrated, nay venerated - mother and infant being especially common in older works) shows the importance of regeneration given the difficulties of surviving in a harsh climate. Lastly, a mythological favourite, echoed in many pieces available in galleries throughout Toronto, is that of a goddess, Sedna, a village girl who went with her lover to live on an island. The legend goes that she regretted it when he revealed that he was no mere hunter but a shaman and, shocked by his dissembling and scared by his power, she called across the waters to her father to rescue her. He rowed across to the island but, on the return trip, terrified of the shaman's wrath, appeased him by throwing Sedna into the water. As she hauled herself back into the boat, her father cut off first her fingertips, her fingers, her hands and finally her arms until she lost her grip and drowned - her fingertips became fishes, her fingers seals, her hands walruses and her arms whales, populating the oceans. Sedna herself was reincarnated as half-woman, half-seal - goddess of the waters.

Whether or not the Inuit still interact with bears and their prey or genuinely believe these days in gods such as Sedna is ultimately unimportant - in the long cold hours of yesterday, they whittled at ivory to create a representation of their environment and beliefs which is both beautiful and enduring.

As well as the dedicated TD Collection, there are good pieces in the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Highway 400 Rutherford) and the Art Gallery of Ontario (Dundas St W). There are numerous shop-galleries throughout Toronto which you can wander round whether you plan to buy or not (Algonquin on Queen Street, Maslak-Macleod on Price Arthur Avenue). Or a fine Sedna sits on my mantelpiece in London...