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HIS LAST BATTLE by William S. Betzeler, 1906 Pyrography on moose hide 84 inches by 60 inches Image courtesy of Bill Cagle

HIS LAST BATTLE by William S. Betzeler, 1906 Pyrography on moose hide 84 inches by 60 inches Image courtesy of Bill Cagle

HIS LAST BATTLE, detail of the signature by William S. Betzeler, 1906 Signature in lower right, as follows: Wm. BETZELER FAIRBANKS ALASKA Pyrography on moose hide 84 inches by 60 inches Image courtesy of Bill Cagle

HIS LAST BATTLE, detail of the central figures by William S. Betzeler, 1906 Pyrography on moose hide 84 inches by 60 inches Image courtesy of Bill Cagle

American Bill Cagle inherited this exquisite "His Last Battle" moose hide by William S. Betzeler from his great-grandmother, who had acquired several art objects on a trip to Alaska in the 1960's. It is very unusual, unique so far as the E-Museum has seen, not only because it has many figures (in this case, animals) but also because of its subject matter—a pack of wolves attacking a doomed moose— in a highly charged and elaborately detailed scene.

Not too much is known of the Gold Rush artists like "Moose Bill" Betzeler, as he was known. His 1942 obituary states that he was a sign painter by occupation, yet "known throughout the North for his moose hide works, particularly Reclamation scenes." The work exhibited here is a far more challenging and ambitious portrayal than the well known and popular Reclamation scenes of that time.

William S. Betzeler's work was featured previously in the Alaska exhibit here in the E-Museum, as well as in Pyrograffiti in the March–April 2002 issue of the Woodcarvers Online Magazine.

In celebration of Alaska's Gold Rush Centennial, The University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks offered a Special Exhibit entitled, "Burned Into Memory: Images of Alaska Through Historic Pyrography." That exhibit, which ran from 2 February to 24 March 2002, was a tribute to the artists whose moosehide and Birch bark pieces of 100 years ago recorded for posterity images of Alaska at the time of the Gold Rush.

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