Tiger Lying Down 

Editor: This is John Macallan Swan's sketch, "Tiger Lying Down," held in the Tate Collections. It's just a quick sketch, but the tiger's form feels so present. What do you see in the composition and technique? Curator: Observe how Swan uses line to construct the tiger's form. The variation in pressure and thickness lends the figure a sense of weight and volume, consider the hatching which suggests shadow. It’s a study in capturing essence through economy of means. Editor: The hatching really does give it depth. I see the movement now, the potential energy in the resting pose. Curator: Precisely. The inherent contrast contributes to a dynamic tension. A stillness that’s not quite still. Editor: Thanks, I'll look closer at that next time. Curator: Indeed, the beauty lies in the visual interplay.