Henri Rousseau: Unpleasant Surprise (Mauvaise surprise), Henri Rousseau, 1901, Oil on canvas, Self-taught painter Henri Rousseau returned frequently to the theme of conflict in the natural world. His large-scale 'jungle paintings' are rife with violent struggles between wild animals—lions, tigers, horses—set in plush, exotic landscapes. Here, a hunter rescues a nude bather from a sharp-clawed bear that seems to emerge from the rocks below. The curvy figure stands in a gesture of calm surrender, revealing dirty palms, while the man fires his gun at the beast. Rousseau's painting reads at first

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Size: 4625px × 6949px
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Photo credit: © Gibon Art / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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