Tiger Ready to Spring

Tiger Ready to Spring by Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863, is a powerful study illustrating the artist’s lifelong fascination with feline energy and movement. Executed using the innovative technique of cliché verre on cream wove paper, this work is classified as a print, demonstrating Delacroix’s active participation in 19th-century technical experimentation. The cliché verre process, developed in France during the mid-1800s, involves drawing or scratching an image onto a light-sensitive glass plate, which is then contact-printed onto paper, resulting in a final image that combines the spontaneity of a sketch with the soft gradations of a photograph.

The dynamic composition captures a magnificent apex predator poised for action, muscles taut and attention focused. Delacroix’s intense engagement with the subject of the dangerous, untamed animal aligns perfectly with the dramatic, emotional ideals of the Romantic movement, which dominated French culture throughout the period spanning 1818 to 1863. He was meticulous in his study of animal anatomy and expression, often sketching from life, and the precision evident in Tiger Ready to Spring highlights his dedication to conveying physical power through line alone.

This piece holds considerable importance in the history of prints, as it illustrates the artist’s versatile adoption of emerging artistic technologies alongside traditional media. The execution of this Tiger Ready to Spring demonstrates Delacroix’s mastery in conveying both psychological intensity and physical readiness. The print is preserved as part of the distinguished permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering scholars and the public an important reference point for studying the technical evolution of French printmaking and Delacroix’s enduring artistic legacy.