Skip to main content

Henri Rousseau, 'Surprised!', 1891

Key facts
Full title Surprised!
Artist Henri Rousseau
Artist dates 1844 - 1910
Date made 1891
Medium and support Oil on canvas
Dimensions 129.8 × 161.9 cm
Inscription summary Signed; Dated
Acquisition credit Bought, with the aid of a substantial donation from the Hon. Walter H. Annenberg, 1972
Inventory number NG6421
Location Room 41
Collection Main Collection
Surprised!
Henri Rousseau
/

A tiger crouches low in thick jungle foliage, its back arched and teeth bared. It is not entirely clear what is happening: is the tiger cowering from the flash of lightning, or is it stalking prey?

Surprised! was the first of around 20 ‘jungle’ paintings that Rousseau produced, which are among his most popular works. These jungles are entirely imaginary: Rousseau never left France, despite his claim that he had served with the French army in Mexico. The foliage is a mix of domestic house plants and tropical varieties, which he had seen at the Botanical Gardens in Paris.

Rousseau was a self-taught amateur artist who took up painting as a hobby. He viewed his painting very seriously, despite facing ridicule from some quarters. But a number of artist and writers, particularly from the avant-garde, hailed him as an important figure. He is now seen as a pioneer of ‘naïve art’.

Download image
Download low-resolution image

Download a low-resolution copy of this image for personal use.

License this image

License and download a high-resolution image for reproductions up to A3 size from the National Gallery Picture Library.

License image
Download low-resolution image

This image is licensed for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons agreement.

Examples of non-commercial use are:

  • Research, private study, or for internal circulation within an educational organisation (such as a school, college or university)
  • Non-profit publications, personal websites, blogs, and social media

The image file is 800 pixels on the longest side.

As a charity, we depend upon the generosity of individuals to ensure the collection continues to engage and inspire. Help keep us free by making a donation today.

Download low-resolution image

You must agree to the Creative Commons terms and conditions to download this image.

Creative Commons Logo