The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope
Due to the negative reviews of Tiger in a Tropical Storm, Rousseau did not paint another jungle scene until seven years later. The Hungry Lion Throws itself on the Antelope was the second jungle scene he painted after his return to painting the flora and fauna of the jungle, which was based off of the diorama of stuffed animals in the Paris Natural History Museum. Upon its exhibition, it was derided by its critics, who were shocked at its display alongside establishment paintings and Renaissance sculptures. Works such as this continued to be ridiculed by his critics until his death in 1910, by he was lauded by his contemporary independent artists, such as Matisse, Picasso, and Toulouse-Lautrec.
