Bear with Jug

Additional Information

Following Native American tradition—and, specifically, Blackfoot myth—that ascribes human attributes to bears, Russell “treated the bear as a shambling buffoon who provided comic relief at the expense of an unwitting human. As his works testify, Russell thought a bear could drink and dance as well as any man.” (Stewart, p. 275) The bear in Bear with Jug is more man than bruin, perched precariously on the verge of tipping over backwards. Russell’s animals often have a humorous, Kiplingesque quality to them, as if they are characters from tall tales that stepped out of a Native American version of the Just So Stories or The Jungle Book. Prominent New Mexico rancher Albert K. Mitchell, who once owned this work, donated the bulk of his splendid collection to the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.

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