Scouts Attacked by a Tiger
1904 Barnes Foundation
About this artwork
This oil on canvas painting depicts a dramatic jungle scene where a scout on horseback is ambushed by a tiger. It is part of the extensive series of jungle paintings produced by Rousseau, characterized by his flattened perspective and intricate foliage.
Did you know?
Despite his reputation for exotic jungle scenes, Henri Rousseau never actually left France; his vivid depictions were inspired by visits to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris and illustrated botanical books. This painting is particularly noted for its eerie, theatrical quality, where the violence of the struggle is contrasted against the stillness of the dense, almost decorative jungle background. Critics of the time were often baffled by his lack of formal training, yet he is now celebrated as a key figure in the development of Modernist art.
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Scouts Attacked by a Tiger
Henri Rousseau, 1904
