The myth of Bohemia and the savage other : Paul Wayland Bartlett's Bear tamer and Indian ghost dancer

Author

Somma, Thomas P.

Document type

Article (journal)

Language

English

Source

American art. 1992, Num. 3, Vol. 6, 14-35, 21 ill. (2 col.)

ISSN

1073-9300

Abstract (en)

Studies the iconography of Bartlett's two sculptures, 1885-1889 (the Bear Tamer, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art; the Indian Ghost Dancer, Washington, National Museum of American Art). Indicates classical as well as 19th c. French sources for the works which were executed by the American artist who was active in Paris, noting in particular the influence of Rodin and Frémiet. Considers the subjects--a Bohemian bear-leader, and a Native North American dancer--in the light of late 19th c. writings on racial difference, human evolution and degeneracy, suggesting that many of the Europeans and Americans who were appalled by the subjects of the sculptures at the same time considered them to represent the "savage other" that functioned as a foil for their own civilized society.

Subject (en)

• General history of art -- 1800-1945 -- Sculpture -- United States
• Bartlett, Paul Wayland, 1865-1925
• Sculpture
• United States
• 1800-1900
• Bohemian Bear Tamer
• Ghost Dancer
• Metropolitan Museum of Art||New York (NY, USA)
• Smithsonian American Art Museum||Washington, DC (USA)
• Bear tamers
• Indians of North America
• Representation
• Rodin, Auguste, 1840-1917
• Frémiet, Emmanuel, 1824-1910
• France
• Influence
• Racism
• Evolution
• Degeneracy

Subject (fr)

• Histoire générale de l'art -- 1800-1945 -- Sculpture -- États-Unis
• Bartlett, Paul Wayland, 1865-1925
• Sculpture
• Etats-Unis
• 1800-1900
• Bohémien montreur d'ours
• Indien exécutant la danse des esprits
• Metropolitan Museum of Art||New York (NY, USA)
• Smithsonian American Art Museum||Washington, DC (USA)
• Montreurs d'ours
• Indiens d'Amérique du Nord
• Représentation
• Rodin, Auguste, 1840-1917
• Frémiet, Emmanuel, 1824-1910
• France
• Influence
• Racisme
• Evolution
• Dégénérescence

Origin

DatabaseBHA (Inist-CNRS/GRI)

Identifier19940701-00344554

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