#197 • Johnny Johnson "Polar Dawn", "River Dance" & "Courage" Photographs

Part of The Johnny Johnson Estate Auction (timed auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

Starting at $5.00

Status: Available

Bidding closes Nov 3, 2026 7:05 PM AKST

Category: Art

Three signed and numbered photographs by Alaska wildlife photographer Johnny Johnson (1947-2025). The first work, "Polar Dawn", is dated circa 1996 and numbered 410/950. Johnson described the scene: "On the frozen plains of Cape Churchill near Canada's Hudson Bay, a family of polar bears watch the dawn. The small cubs of the year rest snugly against their protective mother - all eyes alert to the new day." The second work, "River Dance", is dated circa 2015 and numbered 18/950. Johnson described the scene: "As the sun set, I knew it was time to get off the river, but it was just too beautiful—too exciting. I decided to stay a little longer and was rewarded when an adult grizzly emerged from the crimson current with his prize— a large sockeye (red) salmon. It seems the gulls are always present hoping for scraps. During the three months I spent documenting life on a salmon stream for the National Geographic, I learned a great deal about the importance of salmon to a healthy watershed. Each day was an adventure, a new chapter in my understanding of our vanishing wild world." The third work, "Courage", is dated circa 1997 and numbered 164/950. Johnson described the scene: "The strength and tenacity of the Eskimo sled-dog is legendary. These dogs played a crucial role in helping early man inhabit the arctic. They were high valued not only as pack animals but for their hunting ability and their courage. The polar bear in this photo encountered that legendary bravery the day it tried to steal food from a dog yard near a remote arctic village. The stand off between the polar bear and sled-dog happened quickly and ended without injury. The bear was unwilling to risk a wound and left the area." All three are signed, dated, and numbered in gold leaf ink and printed on Fuji Crystal Archive Supergloss paper. The photographs are shrink-wrapped on board. The largest measures approximately 20.5" x 24.5".