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Lot description
An original acrylic painting on masonite entitled Discovery, executed circa 1993 by celebrated Alaska artist Jon Van Zyle (b. 1942), depicting a pack of five wolves cautiously traversing a snow-covered ridge amid a winter landscape. Set beneath a moody northern sky and framed by stands of leafless birch trees, the composition captures a fleeting moment of curiosity and instinct as the animals pause in silent exploration. Van Zyle's masterful treatment of light, texture, and anatomy imbues the scene with a remarkable sense of realism and atmosphere, exemplifying the qualities that have made his wildlife paintings among the most recognizable and beloved images associated with Alaska. Born in Wisconsin, Van Zyle relocated to Alaska in 1969 and devoted his career to portraying the state's wilderness, wildlife, and sled dog traditions. In 1976, he was selected as the Official Artist of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a role he would hold for an unprecedented forty-nine years until concluding his final season in 2025. His paintings have documented nearly every aspect of Alaska's natural world, from intimate wildlife studies to sweeping landscapes and historic dog mushing scenes. Beyond his prolific body of work, Van Zyle is perhaps best remembered for his participation in the 1988 Trans-Antarctica Expedition, where he served as the expedition artist alongside legendary explorer Will Steger. His works are represented in numerous private and institutional collections and have become synonymous with the spirit and beauty of the North. Signed and dated lower right, the painting is further titled, signed, and dated in the artist's hand en verso, with a notation reserving all reproduction rights to the artist. Retaining its original frame with artist information affixed en verso, the piece measures approximately 19" x 36" overall with a sight area measuring approximately 10.5" x 27.5".