Hunting the Grizzly Bear

The grizzly bear and its pursuit by Stewart became an iconic image for Miller. Of this scene, the artist produced at least five different versions, two of which were owned by Stewart himself. Most of these scenes recount a bear hunt in the Black Hills, though the finished oil that hung in Stewart’s castle had the Wind River Mountains in the background (CR# 143). 

This watercolor was the third in the series, the first being an ink wash drawing that went into a bound portfolio in the castle’s library (private collection, CR# 142) and the second Hunting the Grisly [sic] Bear (CR# 143). This third version was probably a preliminary study for the William Walters commission, Hunting the Bear (CR# 143A). 

Peter H. Hassrick