Tiger on the Prowl
Collection of The Islander Hotel
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Giclee available
A special 1921 carousel in the midst of the midway at Cedar Point, Sandusky Ohio, features a number of menagerie animals, carved by one of the master carvers of the American Carousel — Daniel C. Muller.
This angry and exciting tiger adorns that Dentzel-made carousel, and is reported to have been one of William Dentzel’s personal favorite carousels.
Each piece in the carousel series is inspired by an emotion that I read from the carved figure. The emotion which influenced the Tiger was “aggression and anger” with the strokes of pastel being loose, strong and confident.
Though seemingly angry, this tiger is representative of the marvelous personality that the master carvers strove to input into their animals. I wanted to display that same level of serious artistry in my original pastel of this wonderfully fully carved Tiger on the Prowl.
Intended to be ridden and experienced by turn of the 19th century adults rather than children, carousel animals were depicted with sophisticated and sometimes frightening expressions, which added to the thrill of the ride.
Tiger on the Prowl is one of six pieces selected for printing in giclee, from the Carousel Series and it the companion piece to And a Leo Will Lead