Artisan Stoneware Bear-Themed Cookie Jar

This is a handmade stoneware cookie jar or kitchen canister featuring a bulbous body and a recessed lid with a central finial knob. The vessel is constructed from white or light-colored ceramic clay and finished with a high-gloss transparent glaze. The primary decorative focal point is a large, hand-painted brown bear sitting in profile, rendered with thick, dark slip-trailed or underglaze outlines and watercolor-style brown washes. Beside the bear is a stylized landscape consisting of thin, vertically oriented trees and autumnal red and orange shrubbery, likely applied using a stamping or sponge-painting technique. The jar shows signs of artisan craftsmanship, evidenced by the slightly irregular profile of the turned body and the hand-applied nature of the graphics. Based on the style and glaze quality, it likely dates from the late 20th to early 21st century. The condition appears to be very good with no visible chips, cracks, or heavy crazing, although there are minor manufacturing imperfections in the glaze surface and a small dark mark near the rim. This piece exemplifies functional folk-style pottery with a focus on North American wildlife motifs.