#261 • Johnny Johnson "River Dance", "Romancing the Dawn" & "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 7:26 PM AKST

Category: Art

Three signed and numbered photographs by Alaska wildlife photographer Johnny Johnson (1947-2025). The first work, "River Dance", is dated circa 2015 and numbered 59/950. 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." The second work, "Romancing the Dawn", is dated circa 2011 and numbered 58/950. Johnson described the scene: “As I pulled up to Denali National Park Headquarters in the pre-dawn chill of mid-September, I saw my friend Gary eagerly awaiting me. "it's a perfect morning," he exclaimed excitedly. Gary was Denali Park's Chief Ranger and an avid amateur photographer. The mating season for moose had just started and the associated interaction often provided excellent opportunities to photograph moose behavior. It wasn't long before we spotted a large bull moose defending a harem of more than a dozen females. Wasting no time, we grabbed our cameras and bushwhacked thru the brush three-quarters of a mile. We set up our tripods just as the morning light turned the bull's enormous antlers into beacons of gold. To our delight, a young female approached the bull and they began to nuzzle. Minutes later, it was over and they were gone. "Did you get that?" Gary asked in a whisper. "Absolutely" I said, "it just doesn't get any better than that!"” The third work, "Courage", is dated circa 1997 and numbered 158/950. 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 pieces are signed and dated in the lower left corner in gold leaf ink and printed on Ilfochrome. A care guide and artist's biography are included on the reverse. Each one is shrink-wrapped on board, and "Romancing the Dawn" print measures approximately 17" x 24".