JIMMY JOHN (1876-1988), MOWACHAHT/MUCHALAHT (NUU-CHAH-NULTH)
Bear Holding a Human Head, c. 1940s
cedar, acrylic paint, and abalone, 9.75 x 4 x 4.75 in (24.8 x 10.2 x 12.1 cm)
unsigned.

Provenance
A Vancouver Collection.

A large, single-figure sculpture of a grizzly bear holding a human head or mask likely carved by the Nuu-chah-nulth carver Jimmy John, ca. 1940s. Although unsigned, several features on this piece connect it to earlier artworks by Jimmy John when he was still painting his carvings. In particular, the shape of the bear’s nostrils, the proportions of the bear’s body, and the structure of the human head: the defined ledge of the brow, the squarish nose, and the pouty mouth are all diagnostic features of Jimmy John’s earlier work. The texturizing in the wood under the paint to give the appearance of fur also connects to his later work that abandons painting altogether for a distinctive chip-carving style. There are several examples of Jimmy John’s painted carvings in the William Webber collection at the Museum of Vancouver, see catalogue numbers 90977, 89996, 89921, 89904, 89900, and 89874 for comparable pieces by Jimmy John from this era.

— Christopher W. Smith