A copy of this painting hangs in the Adirondack History Museum near my house in Keene Valley. It has long been one of my favorites. Anthropomorphism, is a really big word. It means, when animals are given human characteristics. Beard was best known for his satirical paintings of animals performing human like activities. Cats, dogs, rabbits, fox, badgers, mice and monkeys all got to wear fancy suits and dresses. But most of these characterizations were to make fun of society, business and politics. This happy fantasy depicts bears, symbolic of conservative financial investors, celebrating a good business day. The painting is also known as: The Bears of Wall Street Celebrating a Drop in the Stock Market, and The Wall Street Jubilee. A concern that is quite topical today. See Original: https://bit.ly/3fEuggO
Inspired by William Holbrook Beard, Bear Dance - 1870
