Tiger Rolling on Its Back

Antoine-Louis Barye

1810–75 · Watercolor on heavy wove paper · Drawings and Prints

Barye delighted in depicting wild animals in unexpected poses. This one of a series of watercolors in which large cats laze on their backs or roll with abandon. Here, the tiger pauses and regards the viewer. Freely handled, the paint has been sponged and scumbled to create a rought rocky landscape whose forms echo the curves of the animal's body.

Artist

Antoine-Louis Barye

Date

1810–75

Medium

Watercolor on heavy wove paper

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929