William Huggins, British 1820-1884- Study of a tiger's head; pencil, watercolour, and coloured chalks on paper, signed and dated 'W Huggins / 1872' (lower right), bears old label for the 'Fine Art Gallery, Liverpool' attached to the reverse of the frame, 26.1 x 23.9 cm. Note: Liverpool-born painter William Huggins was particularly well-known for his characterful and acutely observed depictions of animals. Tigers and lions appear to have been among his favourite subjects, and several studies of big cats by Huggins are preserved in museum collections, including the Victoria Gallery and Museum (acc. nos. FA.67 and FA.831) and the Walker Art Gallery (WAG 1754) in Liverpool. A 'head of a Bengal tiger' painted when the artist was just 18 years old was sold at Christie's, 23 November 2005, lot 162.

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