Grizzly Gallery
Art featuring the iconic bear
. . . a small collection of paintings of grizzly bears by contemporary as well as traditional Western artists.
“the Indians give a very formidable account of the strength and ferocity of this anamal, which they never dare to attack but in parties of six, eight or ten persons; and are even then frequently defeated with the loss of one or more of their party.”
The anecdotes about their experiences with grizzly bears which the members of the Corps of Discovery brought home were gory enough to guarantee that they would be passed along. What are the legends? What are facts?
The Lewis and Clark’s bear claw necklace, recently ‘rediscovered’, is described and analyzed and suggests some of the many meanings and provocations related to it.
It wasn’t until May 1806 that Lewis had occasion to expand on his Fort Clatsop Grizzly Bear observations. This article adds recent insights and an interview with Charles Jonkel.