Private Collection, Florida (until circa 1950)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Good condition. On a stable panel; missing its two vertical supports. Frame abrasion visible along top left and lower edges. Finely patterned craquelure in vegetation at lower right corner. Spot of loss below central tiger's chin in landscape. Under UV: No inpainting apparent.:
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The subject of Hilda's arresting work follows a long tradition in Orientalist painting. In the early 1830s, Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) had accompanied the animalier Antoine-Louis Barye (1796-1875) to the Jardine des Plantes in Paris, in order to sketch the newest addition to their menagerie – a Bengal tiger from India.  These studies served Delacroix well in a series of vigorous oil paintings created soon after his transformative journey to North Africa, in which tigers are portrayed in the midst of struggle or strife.  In the 1870s and 1880s, the eminently market-savvy French painter Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904) created a highly successful series of pictures of lions, tigers, and leopards in varying sizes and qualities, to suit nearly every taste and economic class.  (Like Delacroix, Gérôme made studies in his yo༺uth at the Jardin des Plantes, which aided him in this endeavor.)  Hilda's Austrian compatriot Rudolf Ernst (1854-1932) painted several tiger subjects during his career as well.  Though there is no evidence of a relationship between the two artists, it is probable that Hilda knew Ernst's work.

In Hilda's interpretation of the tiger theme, an intriguing architectural element has been added.  The columns of the temple in the background recall those of the Sri Ranganathaswamy (Vishnu) Temple, Sriranga, Tamil Nadu, India.  (The creamy white underbellies and narrow black stripes of the tigers in Hilda's painting confirm that they are Bengals, making the reference to India particularly apt.)  Though Hilda probably never went to the exotic locale portrayed in this work, relying instead on contemporary photographs (and an active imagination), he clearly h🗹ad a penchant for the subj🉐ect: a watercolor depicting two resting tigers also bears his name (lot 189). 

This catalogue note was written by💝 Dr. Emily M. Weeks.

Please note this work will be sold unframed.