Robert Bateman's "Intent - Cougar" framed limited edition giclee canvas.Bateman always tells a great story about each of his creations. Here is what he has to say about this piece: "The grace and elegance of the cat family is much admired, but the facial expression is what really gets people's attention, whether it is a house cat or a Siberian tiger. Perhaps it is the fact that the eyes point forward more than most mammals, making a natural affinity with human beings. Owls and monkeys, of course, have the same effect Unlike dogs, which seem to have an array of expression, cats always seem to be serious, sometimes deadly serious. The face of this cougar is inscrutable, but almost all cats are inscrutable. In other words, it's very hard to read his mind. As I worked on this painting, I surmised that his intent was to move with his famous catlike stealth towards some unsuspecting prey. I wanted to increase the intensity by coming in close on the cougar's face, creating minimal negative background shapes because the picture is all about the cougar's expressions." - Robert Bateman