Description

” COUGAR IN THE SNOW ”  Robert Bateman  11,857 Signed & Numbered Lithograph Print  19.375″ x 30.25″  Framed as shown from a private consignment.

Cougar In The Snow  ” The cougar is, of course, one of the few great hunters left among the ranks of North American wildlife.  The cougar is now extinct in most of his original range, but in some areas, particularly in the West, it is doing quite well.”Unlike the wolf, the cougar is a lone hunter. It approaches its prey with stealth and often attacks from ambush. I imagined this scene somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. The cougar has been following its quarry, a mule deer, which has now moved out into the open.The hunter has laid down, not to rest, but to consider the situation with great intensity.

In the painting, I have put the cougar’s face in the shadows and have played up the paw which it uses for bringing down its prey. I have tried to increase the nervous intensity of the mood by emphasizing the snow-covered twigs, creating scratchy, almost electric imagery. The curving twigs symbolize the cougar’s sheathed claws.

Robert Bateman was born in Toronto,Canada. By combining his vocations as an
accomplished artist and well-trained naturalist, Bateman has become one of the
world’s greatest artists depicting the natural world.

A vivid imagination, combined with worldtravel and exposure, plus intensive study in
the two fields, culminates in paintings that satisfy Bateman’s inner quest for truth in
the worlds of art and nature. Robert’s work is refreshing and his concepts unpredictable.
With an imagination influenced by a multitude of art periods and styles and a
deep understanding of the natural world, Bateman’s artistic statements are strong
and stunning.

Robert Bateman has his own unique style. It cannot be imitated. His compositions are
unique, and his concepts are always fresh and never repeated. There are many who
imitate the natural world, but if Bateman had a passion to paint portraits or the
ballet, his work would still have the breathtaking beauty of the Bateman style.

There was no soul searching required for Robert Bateman; he always knew he was
an artist. The natural world piqued his curiosity and formal training simply followed
as a matter of course. By adopting realism, Bateman was able to express his deep
knowledge and concern for the intricacies found in nature.

Robert Bateman has had many one-man museum shows throughout North America,
including an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. His honors,
awards, and honorary doctorates are numerous. He was made Officer of the Order
of Canada, that country’s highest civilian award. He has also been the subject of
three books and six films. Bateman also serves as honorary chairman of the
Harmony Foundation. His artwork is included in the collections of HRH The Prince Charles,
HRH The Prince Philip, the late Princess Grace of Monaco, and Prince Bernhard of
the Netherlands.

Today, Robert lives on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. His paintings of nature
have been published by Mill Pond Press since 1978, and his artwork is the subject of the
following books: The Art of Robert Bateman (Viking Press/Madison, 1981, out
of print). The World of Robert Bateman (Random House/Madison Press, 1985), An
Artist in Nature (Random House/Madison press, 1990), Robert Bateman – Natural
Worlds (Simon and Schuster/Madison Press, 1996) and a 3 volume Retrospective (Mill
Pond Press, 1978-1991. His work is also featured in Wildlife Painting – Techniques
of Modern Masters, Volumes I and II. A book of his African art entitled Safari is
available for young readers from Little Brown in the U.S. and Penguin in Canada. He can
be seen in the video Robert Bateman: The Man Behind the Image.

Robert Bateman has dedicated his life to preserving the diversity of the natural world
and says, “Variety is not just the spice of life, it is the essence of life.” His essays can

be found at http://www.batemanideas.com.