Paul Malliki is rightly praised for his ability to depict wildlife magnificently in an unabashedly naturalistic style. Raised on the land and having hunted all his life, Malliki has studied his subjects well and excels at translating their movements and attitudes into hard stone. Walking Bear proves not only this artist’s powers of observation but also his faithfulness to his subject’s anatomy. It is carved in a white marble that beautifully gives a sense of the bear’s colour and coat, but more importantly, it truly renders the animal’s proportions and gait; the pitched shoulders and turned-in paws of the lumbering polar bear. Punctuating the paws are almost dainty black claws, and, hidden from our view in this static pose are individually inlaid paw pads and toes also in black. In addition, we are treated to this bear’s sense of purpose, and perhaps even its personality: with its nose to the ground, and the hint of a smile on its muzzle, we wonder whether lunch might not be too far away!