1851
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
Essay on Stone with Brush and Scraper: The Bear Pit is a 1851 by Adolph von Menzel, a Impressionism work, depicting Bear, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a bear pit in a German zoo around 1850. The bears look restless in the stone enclosure while a few people watch from above. Menzel used sharp lines and shadows to show the rough walls and rough mood. The bears aren’t cute pets—they’re wild animals behind bars. The people seem bored, not scared, like they’re used to the sight. If you like this, check out Adolph von Menzel (German, 1815–1905).
Adolph Friedrich Erdmann von Menzel was a German Realist artist noted for drawings, etchings, and paintings.
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