Monsoon - White Tiger by John Seerey-Lester

"All of the many subspecies of tigers fascinate me - their power is matched only by their beauty and grace. The white tiger, of the subspecies indochinese, now lives only in captivity - it no longer exists in the wild. It was last known to have lived in the former principality of Rewa, in the tropics of central India. The stripes of the white tiger are darker than those of other subspecies; they are a dark gray-brown on the background of creamy white. I chose to paint a white tiger admist the Indian monsoon rains first and foremost for design. I wanted the body of the tiget to fade back into the effects of the monsoon, into the sheets of rain and falling mists, diffusing the hindquarter stripes so that the foreground stripes would appear more defined. This allowed me to emphasize the tiger's head and chest - a presentation of power. I've highlighted the wet foliage, as it forms spillways for the torrents of water and echoes the vertical stripes of the tiger. Tigers do walk about in such weather. This one, although wet and beleagured, still cuts a fine feline figure." - John Seerey-Lester

Provenance: Not specified
Artist / Author: John Seerey-Lester
Date of Work: 1991
Signature location: Bottom Right
Origin of Work: India
Subject: Animals
Original Vendor/Source: Key Auctions
Details of damage: Not specified
Frame Style/Material: unframed
Frame dimensions: 25 x 35 1/2 x 1/8 (sleeve)
Inner frame dimensions: 22 x 33 x 1/8 (print)
Artwork dimensions: Not specified