(Leopard)

Kurt Wilhelm Emil Tessmann

Little is found on the artist Tessmann himself, except that he was an oft-commissioned children’s book illustrator in the 1950s and ‘60s, and that he had a particular expertise in animal renderings.

This portrayal of a lounging leopard is nearly dismissable for its simplicity; yet the artist’s placement of a collection of spots and abbreviated lines are immediately engaging, capturing the universal attitude of the feline species. Tessman shows a fundamental understanding of the sinewy predator in repose, perhaps having already dined, and simply enjoying the afternoon shade.