Snow Play 1910

Richard Friese captured this family of polar bears, sometime before 1918, using brushes loaded with paint. The painting is awash in blues and whites, capturing the stark beauty of the arctic. Can you see how Friese layered the paint to create the texture of snow and ice? It is so cold, so crisp! I bet he had to work fast. I wonder what Friese was thinking as he painted this scene. Was he concerned about the polar bears' survival in a changing climate? Maybe he was simply captivated by the play of light on the snow, but I feel the tension as I observe them in their habitat. Painters are always having a conversation with one another across time. Friese’s painting speaks to our moment, reminding us of the beauty and fragility of the natural world and the need to preserve it.