Fernando Botero’s style is one of the most notable of the 20th century. Paintings bursting with colour and disproportionate figures characterize many of his artworks. Influenced by his childhood memories, he created a series which featured characters and images inspired by the circus. The vibrant scene in ‘Tiger and Trainer’ excited many fellow artists like Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec. In the painting we see a huge tiger leaping through a hoop, held by a very petite trainer.
In our painting, the way we experience the circus has changed and animals are no longer part of the act. We see a man who is large and listless. The tiger has taken over the role of the trainer and it’s man’s job to entertain the crowd.