The Little Bear Trainer 1762 - 1772

Curator: Here we have "The Little Bear Trainer" by Jean-Claude Richard, Abbé de Saint-Non, part of the collection here at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s an etching, measuring about 18 by 26 centimeters. Editor: It’s incredibly intricate! All these tiny lines create such a sense of bustling energy. Curator: The scene is a staged performance; bear training was a popular form of entertainment, reflective of broader social trends and the commodification of spectacle. Editor: Look at the way the artist uses line density to create depth, almost like sculpting with ink. What kind of labor went into this? And what was the printmaking economy at the time? Curator: Printmaking allowed for the mass distribution of images, influencing public opinion and artistic styles. Saint-Non played a key role in that. Editor: Thinking about the materials—the paper, the ink, the press—and the hands that shaped them, it really adds another layer to the performance depicted within the etching itself. Curator: Indeed, it reveals so much about the role of art in shaping societal norms. Editor: I find myself drawn to how the artist engaged with the tangible world. It’s a rich glimpse into artistic creation.