This painting, dated by Hans-Peter Bühler and Albrecht Krückl (op. cit.) to circa 1864, is possibly listed in the sales records, kept by Johanna Bürkel, the artist's wife, on 15 September 1864 as Finstermünz mit Bärentreiber, gross (Bear drover at Finstermünz, large) sent to the Kunstverein Bremen for 330 florins.

There are three further known contemporary versions of this subject, each work differing in the treatment of the figures (Bühler/Krückl, op. cit., nos. 625, 626 and 628). Our picture is probably an extension of a more detailed series of paintings of circa 1847-50 entitled Menagerie auf der Wanderung über den Pass (Bühler/Krückl, op. cit., nos. 400-403).