Tiger in a Tropical Storm

This is a painting of a tiger.

It shows a tiger in a big storm. A bright flash of light hits the cat. He is ready to jump!

The green leaves look very thick. The artist used many shades of green. He used silver paint to show the rain.

He did not live in a jungle. He saw plants in a garden in Paris. He also looked at books.

Many people liked his art later. Famous artists were his fans. It is a very special painting.

Look closely at this painting. It is called Tiger in a Tropical Storm.

It shows a tiger in a wild storm. A bright flash of lightning hits the cat. The tiger is ready to pounce on its prey.

The artist was Henri Rousseau. He made this oil painting in 1891. He did not live in a real jungle. Instead, he looked at plants in a Paris garden. He also studied books and prints.

Rousseau used many layers of paint. He used many shades of green for the leaves. He also used silver paint for the rain. He drew the rain in long, slanted lines.

At first, many critics did not like his work. They called his style childish. But other famous artists loved his art. These artists included Picasso and Matisse. Later, the National Gallery in London bought the painting. It is a very famous piece of art today.

Imagine standing in a wild, dark jungle during a heavy storm. A bright flash of lightning lights up the scene. In that moment, you see a tiger ready to pounce. This is the feeling of the painting called Tiger in a Tropical Storm. It was also known by the name Surprised!. This artwork is very important because it was the first jungle painting by Henri Rousseau. He became famous for these wild scenes. The painting makes us wonder what happens next.

Creating this painting took a lot of careful work. Rousseau did not just splash paint onto the canvas. He built up his jungle in many thin layers. He used many different shades of green to show the thick plants. To show the heavy rain, he used a special trick. He pulled strands of silver paint diagonally across the work. This made the rain look like it was lashing down. He learned this idea from looking at other artists' work.

Henri Rousseau was a late bloomer in the art world. He did not make his first known painting until he was 35. This jungle painting appeared in 1891. At first, it was shown at a place called the Salon des Indépendants. This was a show that was open to all artists. He chose this place because a different group of experts did not accept his work. Some people thought his style looked like a child made it. However, other painters saw the skill in his art.

Many people thought Rousseau lived in a real jungle. They believed he saw these things while in Mexico in 1860. He actually stayed in France his whole life. He got his ideas from books and prints. He also visited the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. This was a botanical garden with many exotic plants. It even had galleries with animals that were preserved. These real things helped him imagine the wild jungle.

Even though critics were often mean to him, Rousseau had many fans. Famous artists like Picasso and Matisse loved his work. He also painted other tiger scenes later on. One was called Scouts Attacked by a Tiger in 1904. Another was called Tiger Hunt around 1895. Today, his famous painting lives in the National Gallery in London. It was bought there in 1972. It remains a very special piece of art for everyone to see.

Tiger in a Tropical Storm is a famous oil-on-canvas painting. It was created by the artist Henri Rousseau in 1891. This work is significant because it was the first of his many jungle paintings. The scene captures a tiger illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning. The animal is preparing to pounce during a violent storm. The painting is also known by the title Surprised!. It invites viewers to imagine a wild and dangerous moment in nature.

Rousseau used specific technical methods to build this lush environment. He did not simply apply paint in one layer. Instead, he built the jungle meticulously using many layers of paint. He utilized a wide variety of green shades to create a sense of thick, growing plants. To represent the heavy, lashing rain, he used a unique technique. He trailed strands of silver paint diagonally across the canvas. This method was inspired by the satin-like finishes seen in the works of William-Adolphe Bouguereau.

The composition of the painting creates a sense of mystery. The tiger's intended prey is not actually visible on the canvas. The prey exists beyond the edge of the frame. This forces the viewer to use their imagination to decide the outcome. Rousseau later claimed the tiger was about to attack a group of explorers. His original title, Surprised!, suggests the tiger holds the advantage in this encounter. The painting focuses on the tension of the predator's movement.

Henri Rousseau was a late developer in the art world. He did not produce his first known work, Landscape with a Windmill, until age 35. Because the official Academy of Painting and Sculpture jury rejected his work, he exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants in 1891. This was an unjuried exhibition open to all artists. His style was often described as having a naïveté of composition. This means his work looked simple, even though it was technically complex. Many critics mocked his paintings as being childish.

Some people believed Rousseau gained his jungle knowledge in Mexico. They thought he saw these animals while serving as a regimental bandsman in 1860. However, Rousseau never actually left France. His inspiration came from books, prints, and botanical gardens in Paris. He likely visited the Jardin des Plantes to see exotic plants and taxidermy specimens. These preserved animals provided a real-world reference for his imaginary scenes. He used these elements to satisfy the public's interest in exotic subjects.

Despite the criticism, Rousseau's influence grew among famous artists. While many critics derided him, contemporaries like Picasso, Matisse, and Toulouse-Lautrec were admirers. He continued to paint jungle themes at different intervals. He painted Tiger Hunt around 1895 and Scouts Attacked by a Tiger in 1904. Other works included Jungle with Buffalo Attacked by a Tiger and Fight Between a Tiger and a Buffalo in 1908. These paintings show his continued interest in the struggle of animals.

The painting has a long history of ownership and value. Around 1908, the art dealer Ambroise Vollard purchased Surprised! and two other works. Rousseau had originally offered them for a much higher price than the 190 francs he eventually received. The painting eventually moved to a major public collection. In 1972, the National Gallery in London purchased the work. This purchase included a contribution from the philanthropist Walter H. Annenberg. Today, it remains a key example of Rousseau's unique vision.