Large Bear Painting Monet clear sky-blue and dabs of

clear sky-blue and dabs of terracotta warm a pared-back

A track curves gently through the deep snow in the foreground

The deep greys and blacks anchor a minimalist scheme alongside steel

hand-painted vibrancy

A composition that brings a contemplative

Large Bear Painting Monet clear sky-blue and dabs ofA great brown bear surges forward out of a storm of loose, expressive brushwork, one paw thrown towards the viewer in full charge. Painted with vigorous strokes, its shaggy coat dissolves into flurries of cream, ochre and grey that scatter like flung snow and spray around the body. The face is rendered with real intensity, mouth open and eyes fierce, while the edges of the form melt into the abstract background. The result is part portrait, part