299

Paul Wayland Bartlett (1865-1925), Bohemian Bear Tamer, modeled 1887
Dimensions: 27 1/2 x 13 1/4 x 16 1/2
Framed/base Dimensions: no base
Signature: inscribed: Paul. W. Bartlett
stamped: 2662 (edition number for Siot Foundry)

bronze, cast before 1892
27 1/2 x 13 1/4 x 16 1/2 in.

  • Provenance: John Quincy Adams Ward (1830-1910)
    By descent in the family
    From a Private Collection
  • Literature: Lewis I. Sharp, John Quincy Adams Ward: Dean of American Sculpture, Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1985, p. 65, figure 49
    Adam Duncan Harris, Wildlife in American Art, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK, 2009, example illus. pp. 102-103
  • Notes:

    The present bronze was cast at the Paris foundry of Siot-Decauville & Perzinka. Bartlett had entered into a contract with that foundry in 1887 (following the extraordinary reception of the work at the Salon that year) to make casts in two sizes: 27 and 17 inches. Bartlett received a 20 percent commission on each cast with regular statements from the foundry until 1891 when he ceased casting with all foundries and developed his own. In one year—1888—the Bartlett ledgers record 4 casts of the large model. By 1891, the last commercial casts of Bear Tamer were made and only one posthumous example (cast at the Fonderie coopérative des artistes, now National Gallery of Art) is recorded.

    The provenance of the present cast is remarkable in that this cast was owned by J.Q.A. Ward. Ward had recognized Bartlett’s abilities and recommended his inclusion at the World’s Columbia Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Ward was also instrumental in recommending the young sculptor for the commission of the equestrian monument of Lafayette (Paris, 1898) which was America’s response to the Statue of Liberty by Bartholdi. In 1902, Bartlett and Ward collaborated on the marble sculptures for the Pediment for the New York Stock Exchange. They shared a mutual friendship with Eugene Aucaigne of the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company, were both members of the National Academy of Design, and both served as President of the National Sculpture Society (which Ward had founded in 1893). For Ward to have owned this work is a fitting testimony to their mutual respect and friendship.

    A cast in this 27-inch scale is in the collection of the National Gallery (a gift to the Corcoran Collection from his widow) which was cast after the sculptor’s death and is not one of the original 1887 castings. The only known lifetime casts of Bear Tamer in this large scale are in a private collection (unlocated); The Heckscher Museum, Huntington, New York (from the Collection of August Heckscher); the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming, and the present example.

  • Condition: The bronze appears to be in very good condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Jackson Hole Art Auction may, in its discretion and at a purchaser's request, package and ship items as directed by the purchaser. In such event, purchaser agrees to the following conditions:

a. All such packaging, handling and shipping is at the sole risk of the purchaser, and Jackson Hole Art Auction shall have no liability for any loss or damage to such items.

b. Please allow 4-6 weeks for shipping.

September 13, 2025 10:00 AM MDT
Jackson, WY, US

Jackson Hole Art Auction

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$0 - $1,000,000:
20.00%
$1,000,001+:
12.00%

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $25,000
$500,000 $999,999 $50,000
$1,000,000 + $100,000