Gustave surand biography

Gustave Surand (Paris 1860 - 1937), “Tiger Resting”, late 19th century.
Oil on canvas 46x61 cm
Bottom right: signed “Surand 1929” and dedicated “A Madame Marcel Bergès souvenir reconnaissant”.
Tiger Resting by Gustave Surand is a canvas depicting a large feline, lying placidly on the ground.

Gustave surand biography

It is one of the artist’s favorite subjects, fascinated by nature and large mammals such as tigers and lions, often portrayed at rest, as in this case. The tiger in this painting stands out against a background in which browns and earths prevail, and from which long and broad brush strokes of pure colors emerge occasionally, distinguishable in shades of cold greens and reds.

The painter with marked realism manages to render the strength of the animal, both concrete and in its most abstract meaning. The tiger is a being so different from man, it proceeds by instinct, rather than by intellect; however, it is guided by the same spirit of survival, which unites all creatures.

Surand's felines are