“Tiger in a Tropical Storm” by Henri Rousseau

“Tiger in a Tropical Storm” by Henri Rousseau was the first of the artist’s jungle paintings and shows a tiger, illuminated by a flash of lightning, preparing to pounce on its prey during a raging gale.

Rousseau had never left France to see real jungles. Still, his inspiration came from Paris’ botanical gardens, which included zoological galleries, and from geographic illustrations in prints and books.

The tiger’s prey is beyond the canvas, so it is left to the viewer’s imagination to decide what is the victim.

Rousseau exhibited this painting in 1891 under the title “Surpris!” at an exhibition that was open to all artists and had no judges as gatekeepers. The picture received mixed reviews, as most critics mocked Rousseau’s work as childish.

Despite its apparent simplicity, Rousseau’s jungle painting was built up meticulously in layers, using many green shades to capture the lush abundance of the jungle.

He also devised his method for depicting the lashing rain by trailing strands of silver paint diagonally across the canvas.

“Tiger in a Tropical Storm” brought Rousseau his first recognition, and he continued to exhibit his work annually at the Salon des Indépendants.

Critical responses to his work did not change. His work continued to be derided by the critics up to and after his death in 1910.

Fortunately, however, Rousseau did win a loyal following and support from among his contemporaries, such as Picasso, Matisse, and Toulouse-Lautrec were all admirers of his work.

Henri Rousseau

Henri Rousseau was self-taught and developed a style that lacked traditional training, with its absence of strict proportions, a one-point perspective, and with the use of sharp, often unnatural colors.

The result was art pieces that were imbued with a sense of mystery and eccentricity.

Rousseau started painting seriously in his early forties, and by age 49, he retired from his job to work on his art full-time. His primary employment before he retired was as the duty customs officer and tax collector.

Many critics who ridiculed his work disparaged Rousseau’s style; however, he always aspired, in vain, for acceptance. Many observers commented that he painted like a child, but the work shows sophistication with his unique style and technique.

Ridiculed during his lifetime by critics, he came to be recognized as a self-taught genius whose work exerted a significant influence on several generations of avant-garde artists.

Today, Henri Rousseau’s paintings are highly valued and prominent in the world’s leading art museums.

Title: Tiger in a Tropical Storm
Also: Surprised!
Artist: Henri Rousseau
Date: 1891
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 130 cm × 162 cm (51 1⁄8 in × 63 3⁄4 in)
Museum: The National Gallery, London

Henri Rousseau

Name: Henri Julien Félix Rousseau
Born: 1844 – Laval, Mayenne, France
Died: 1910 (aged 66) – Paris, France
Nationality: French
Movement: Post-Impressionism, Naïve art, Primitivism
Notable works:
- The Customs Post
- The Sleeping Gypsy
- The Repast of the Lion
- Tiger in a Tropical Storm
- Primitivism and Naïve Art by Henri Rousseau
  - Tropical Landscape: American Indian Struggling with a Gorilla
  - Struggle between Tiger and Bull
  - The Equatorial Jungle
  - Combat of a Tiger and a Buffalo
  - The Snake Charmer
  - Horse Attacked by a Jaguar

Henri Rousseau’s ‘Tiger in a Tropical Storm(Surprised!)’

Tour of 19th Century Paintings at the National Gallery, London

“Portrait of Doña Isabel de Porcel” by Francisco Goya – 1805
“The Emperor Napoleon I” by Horace Vernet – 1815
“Dido Building Carthage” by J. M. W. Turner – 1815
“Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows” by John Constable – 1831
“The Execution of Lady Jane Grey” by Paul Delaroche – 1833
“The Fighting Temeraire” by Joseph Mallord William Turner – 1839
“Rain, Steam, and Speed – The Great Western Railway” by J. M. W. Turner – 1844
“Cimabue’s Celebrated Madonna is carried in Procession through the Streets of Florence” by Frederic Leighton – 1855
“Madame Moitessier” by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres– 1856
“The Gare St-Lazare” by Claude Monet – 1877
“Bathers at Asnières” by Georges Seurat – 1884
“Sunflowers” by Vincent van Gogh – 1888
“Tiger in a Tropical Storm” by Henri Rousseau – 1891
“After the Bath, Woman Drying Herself” by Edgar Degas – 1895
“Boulevard Montmartre at Night” by Camille Pissarro – 1898