Henri Rousseau's "Tiger in a Tropical Storm" (1891), also known as "Surprised!", stands as one of the most striking examples of post-impressionist naive art. The painting depicts a startled tiger, crouching amidst a stylised jungle setting during a dramatic thunderstorm. Rousseau's distinctive technique is evident in the layered foliage, rendered in various shades of green, while lightning illuminates the scene with bold, white streaks against a rain-darkened sky.
What makes this work particularly intriguing is that Rousseau, a self-taught artist who worked as a customs officer, never actually saw a jungle or a tiger in real life. He drew inspiration from Paris's botanical gardens and zoo, combining these observations with his vivid imagination. The tiger's somewhat stiff, almost toy-like appearance, coupled with the mathematically precise leaves and branches, creates an enchanting tension between realism and fantasy that characterises Rousseau's unique style.
The painting reflects the late 19th-century French fascination with the exotic and unknown. Despite initial criticism from the art establishment, who mocked Rousseau's unconventional style, his work later influenced modern artists like Picasso and the surrealists. The piece showcases Rousseau's ability to create atmospheric drama through careful composition - the tiger's horizontal position contrasts with the vertical rain and vegetation, while the creature's glowing eyes draw viewers into its mysterious world. The artist's use of more than fifty shades of green and his meticulous attention to detail in each leaf and blade of grass demonstrates his dedication to creating an immersive, albeit imaginative, wilderness scene.
