Philip R. Goodwin (1881-1935), Bruin's Dilemma

Lot 196

About Seller

20 Winter Street
Pembroke, MA 02359
United States

Founded in 2005, Copley Fine Art Auctions is a boutique auction house specializing in antique decoys and American, sporting, and wildlife paintings. Over the course of the last two decades, the firm has set auction records for not only individual decoy makers, but also entire carving regions. Copley...Read more

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The Winter Sale 2026, Day 1 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

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The Winter Sale 2026, Day 1

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Feb 20, 2026

Set Reminder 2026-02-20 10:00:00 2026-02-20 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Winter Sale 2026, Day 1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-winter-sale-2026-day-1-22120 Lots 1-300 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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Lot Description

Philip R. Goodwin (1881-1935)
Bruin's Dilemma, c. 1925
signed "Philip R. Goodwin" lower left
oil on canvas, 30 by 22 in.

In "Bruin's Dilemma," Goodwin captures the essence of a dynamic Western bear hunt with hunters, hounds, and a treed bear. "If Carl Rungius is celebrated for his paintings of moose, then Goodwin should be distinguished by his paintings of bears. More than other animals, Goodwin relished painting the bear...Whatever the scenario, Goodwin loved bears...it remained the bear that he and his patrons most coveted," writes Larry Len Peterson. This popular painting was published as a color print and appeared on the cover of "Outdoor Recreation" in December 1925 and "Rod and Gun" in February 1931.

Artistically inclined from a young age, Philip Goodwin began his career at the age of eleven when he sold an illustration to "Collier's" magazine. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and later at the Art Students League in New York City. To further pursue illustration, he traveled to Pennsylvania and Delaware to study under famed draftsman Howard Pyle. Pyle insisted that all good illustration came from firsthand knowledge of subjects and encouraged the artist to visit places before depicting them. Goodwin traveled west several times throughout his career, often to visit his friend Charles Russell.

Goodwin earned a living by publishing his works in magazines like "Harper's Monthly," "Outing," and "Scribner's." His images were also used by Brown & Bigelow for their popular calendars, as well as in advertisements for major firearms dealers. He illustrated books by some of the most celebrated authors of the day, such as Jack London's "Call of the Wild" and Theodore Roosevelt's "African Game Trails." Goodwin maintained his illustration career and eventually built up a clientele for his oil paintings as well. Though Goodwin died of pneumonia on December 14, 1935, his art continues to be published and collected to this day.

Provenance: Rolph-Clark-Stone Ltd. Collection, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Prominent Private Collection, Canada, acquired from the above, circa 1969
Private Collection, by descent
Robert S. Doochin Collection, acquired from Waddington's, June 20, 2016, lot 47

Literature: "Outdoor Recreation," December 1925, illustrated on cover.
"Rod and Gun in Canada," February 1931, illustrated on cover.
Larry Len Peterson, "Philip R. Goodwin: America's Sporting and Wildlife Artist," Hayden, ID, 2001, pp. 266-7, p. 297, fig. 4.56 print illustrated as "Bruins Dilemma," cover designs illustrated on p. 223, fig. 3.34, and p. 225, fig. 3.38.

Condition

Please email condition report requests to leah@copleyart.com.
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