Head of a tiger

This is one of the two "Tiger heads" by Antonio Ligabue in Franco Maria Ricci’s art collection. The close-up, the irregular teeth and the tense jawline contribute to instilling a dramatic effect in the imminent ambush of the feline, which is not perfectly centered, indeed it seems to leap from the right side and enter the frame. Tigers often appear in Ligabue's paintings, depicted while fighting with other animals and not isolated as in this case. The work exhibited here rather recalls the graphics of the circus billboards, especially in the rendering of the eyes and in the lines of the fur.
The painting was chosen by Franco Maria Ricci for the cover of the precious 1967 monograph dedicated to Ligabue, an important book which allowed the artist to gain an international recognition.