Landscape with Bears and Wolves

Description

Bodmer's sketch of the river landscape featuring the figures of bears and wolves devouring the carcass of a bison at the river's edge is presumed from the appearance of high bluffs pictured in the background to have been done at some point above Fort Union en route to Fort McKenzie in the summer of 1833. Such sights were common on the upper Missouri of that day, and Maximilian frequently mentioned in his account the presence of wolves near the buffalo and elk herds above Fort Union. An aquatint depicting hunters from the boat chasing grizzlies from a partly devoured carcass on the riverbank was included as Tableau 36 in the atlas later published in Europe. The aquatint corresponds closely with descriptions of hunting grizzlies recorded in Maximilian's journal on July 18 and 19.