Emile Bluteau " Man and His Bear" Canadian Folk Art Sculpture carved face Light rusting as there should

Light rusting as there should be

11 x 4 5/8” x 2 1/4” d

made by Empire Brush Works of Port Chester

I grabbed this antique Moxie Nerve Food Co

Emile Bluteau " Man and His Bear" Canadian Folk Art Sculpture carved face Light rusting as there shouldIt seems quite Canadian that it should be a black bear rather than a dog that our man here is so lovingly patting, and the French title "L'Homme avec son ours" (Man with his bear) written on the underside perfectly articulates the best friend status of this particular bear! It's the wonderful work of Emile Bluteau (1931 ?), a well known Quebecois folk artist, who began carving in the late 70s, first birds and then "the human condition in all its moods