Persian Leopard - Oil on Belgian Linen

Leopards are the most successful and widespread of the big cats, found from the burning African Savannah to the snows of Kamchatka in Russia, they are surely among the world's most beautiful inhabitants. Still, across their entire range they are hemmed in and hunted by humans and human activities. The Persian is an Asian Subspecies, much more subtly attired than it's African cousins, though no less beautiful. I always find images of these incredible cats at rest more latently powerful than full-on action poses. When they look at you like this you feel like a fly they could squash without even noticing.