-Bear and Tree Stump- c. 1870 - 1880

This iron sculpture of a bear grasping a tree stump encapsulates a complex dance between nature and culture. The bear, a symbol of raw power, instinct, and primal energy, is here domesticated, almost humanized, as it clutches the stump. Consider how the image of the bear appears across cultures: from the totemic animal spirits of indigenous tribes to the fairytale figures of European folklore. The tree, too, is a potent emblem, signifying life, growth, and connection between the earthly and spiritual realms. Yet, here, it is reduced to a stump, a severed vestige of its former self. This juxtaposition evokes a sense of loss. In grasping the stump, is the bear lamenting the destruction of its habitat? Or is it, perhaps, a symbol of resilience, clinging to the remnants of a lost world? The psychological tension between wildness and domesticity charges the sculpture. It speaks to the way we grapple with our own primal instincts, and to our complex relationship with the natural world. This is a visceral dialogue between the animal and the arboreal, resonating in ways both ancient and modern.