Lawrence Lebduska moved with his family from the United States to Germany when he was five years old. It was there that he began his art career, following in his father’s footsteps and studying the art of stained glass. In 1912, Lebduska returned to the United States, first settling in Baltimore and eventually making his way to New York, where he painted murals in a primitive style for the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression (1929–39). Lebduska loved nature, particularly horses, and many of his works feature animals situated in landscapes, including forests and jungles. Here, a black stallion and tiger are presented at odds—rearing up on their hind legs and baring their teeth. However, it is unclear which beast will emerge victorious from this encounter.

Label from Menagerie: Animals on View, March 11–June 4, 2017