Tigers and Other Wildcats in Art

 

by Mary-Ann Carlson

My longtime friend, Mary-Ann Carlson is an accomplished watercolorist. Recently, I caught up with her and she gifted me several prints of her masterpieces. This tiger painting got me wondering about artists famous for including tigers (and other wildcats) in their artwork.

Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!)
(1891), Rousseau

Another of my favorite artists is Henri Rousseau. In his Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!), we see a lavish tropical scene including bolts of white lightning and a somewhat hidden tiger about to pounce on its prey. The focus is on the gleaming head of the tiger, though I can't help looking toward the lower right at the solid dark green shape of the plant. he has balance the tree limb in the upper corner with the plant, as well as the hind end of the tiger with the red foliage. Because of the storm, the tone of the painting is quite dark, except for the highlight on the front half of the tiger in the foreground.

Sleeping Gypsy (1897), Rousseau

Probably his most famous work is the later Sleeping Gypsy in which a lion is prominently portrayed centrally in the composition. It feels somewhat surreal. His works were often judged as 'childish' by critics who thought the artist lacked training. The reclining figure appears stiff and unaware of the lion. Later though, he was acclaimed for his Post-Impressionist works.

Frida Kahlo and the Tiger,
Miller

I found this painting by David Miller, depicting artist, Frida Kahlo with a tiger across her lap. Although the artist herself never included tigers in her self-portraits, she did paint herself with monkeys. Her portraits were not only surreal but tended to go beyond the macabre.

Poised, Eric Wilson

Contemporary artist, Eric Wilson paints impressive animal portraits in watercolor, oil, and pastel. This one happens to be watercolor. I'd imagine that it is even more impressive in-person!

Royal Tiger (1829), Delacroix

Perhaps not as visually impressive is this lithograph by Eugène Delacroix. Many artists never actually saw wild animals in their native habitats, so they relied upon visits to zoos and maybe photographs. Still, like historic battles among human beings, artists spent their time researching, studying, and sketching before completing a painting. I also appreciate works in multiple media. His Tiger Lying in the Desert (1846) is less impressive as an etching!

African Amber - Lioness Pair (1980), Bateman

Canadian painter Robert Bateman is famous for painting wildlife, including birds, bears and wildcats. He was a teacher of art and Geography. Here he has captured two lionesses using largely amber tones. I did a two-day pastels class to teach the technique, and on the second day challenged my students to use a limited palette of black, white, light and dark brown, and gray. Nature is often its own camouflage.

Love is in the Air (2010), Brenders

Another wildlife artist is Belgian Naturalist and Painter, Carl Brenders. I liken his work to that of Byron Birdsall, whose work I featured in my March 2024 post entitled, Watercolor Artist/Teachers. Both artists also remind me of the TV show, Paint This with Jerry Yarnell. I particularly love his rendering of Milk Pelicans. Curiously, Jerry passed away in May 2024. Another great loss was TV personality, Bob Ross in 1995. Nicholas Hankins is now Ross' TV successor.

The Lion at Home (1881), Bonheur

French artist, Rosa Bonheur so loved her animals that she kept a family of lions at her home, often feeding them by hand. She passed away eight years after completing this painting. She would have enjoyed visiting the Olympic Game Farm Park in Sequim, WA.

Jungle Gentleman (1990), Shepherd

British artist David Shepherd, like many of the artists (above) posted here, was a bigtime conservationist. Besides wildlife, he also painted steam locomotives, aircraft, portraits, and landscapes. Apparently, tigers love the water and swim for several hours a day. I'm not sure why there is so much darkness on the right half of his painting. I imagine the moonlight is meant to illuminate the subject.