Mammals, reptiles, insects and sea creatures: Francesco Munari’s wildlife, between naturalistic realism and close attention to the texture of fur and scales.
The series includes 29 drawings, among them Piglets, Lobster, Mandrill, Black pig, Sphynx cat, Ring-tailed lemur, Fox and Walruses.
PigletsThree piglets with orange and black coats: one sniffs the ground while two rest on it. Soft blended colour on a white and pale grey ground.LobsterRed lobster (Homarus gammarus) seen from three quarters, with large claws in the foreground and thin antennae. Saturated red tones on a white ground.MandrillMandrill in profile gripping a bamboo cane. Blue muzzle and grey-blue fur in dense hatching, with orange highlights on a light ground.Black pigBlack and white spotted pig in profile, drawn in grey hatching with soft pink and ochre touches. Faint, slender trees sketch the background.Sphynx catReclining sphynx cat with wrinkled, hairless skin rendered in grey hatching. Pink ear, yellow eye and a softly shaded white background.Ring-tailed lemurRing-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) walking along a rope. Its tail shows black and white rings in grey hatching, with orange tones in the fur on white.FoxRed fox (Vulpes vulpes) running in profile. Orange coat, dark legs and grey tail in fine coloured hatching on a light ground.WalrusesGroup of walruses huddled together, with long white tusks and brownish-pink skin in coloured hatching. Bright yellow background with a white halo around the animals.SnakeYellow snake with dark blotches, coiled in loops on a pale branch. Fine coloured hatching on a white and pale blue ground.Humpback whaleHumpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) swimming at an angle, pectoral fin and ventral grooves in view. Grey hatching with blue shading on a light ground.Cat among the reedsGrey tabby cat with blue eyes stalking through grass, with brown-headed bulrushes behind it. Coloured hatching on a white ground.LionessLioness head (Panthera leo) in profile, with a green eye and black ear. Orange and cream tones, the mane barely hinted on a light ground.Black pantherBlack panther lying down with its head turned in profile, yellow eye and tail stretched out. Grey and black tonal shading with blue hints on a pale grey ground.AnteaterGiant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) in profile, long snout lowered to the ground and bushy tail. Grey hatching with orange touches and green grass tufts.HornetHornet seen from the side, with a black abdomen banded in yellow, translucent wings and orange legs. Highly detailed hatching on a pale grey ground.BeeWestern honey bee (Apis mellifera) in close-up, with a furry orange thorax, dark banded abdomen and transparent wings. Coloured hatching on white and grey.WaspWasp with a yellow and black abdomen, seen from the side with raised wings and slender orange legs. Saturated tones on white and pale grey.BisonAmerican bison (Bison bison) in profile, with dark brown shaggy fur on head and hump. Earth tones on an even pale grey ground.Ball pythonBall python (Python regius) coiled around a branch with its head lowered. Hatching in orange, black and cream tones on a white ground.TarantulaTarantula with black legs banded in orange and a furry grey body, seen from the side with legs spread wide. Coloured hatching on a pale grey ground.ErmineErmine (Mustela erminea) in its white winter coat, sitting upright with its muzzle raised, in soft grey shading. The white emerges from the pale grey background.GoldfishFancy goldfish with a veil tail and tall dorsal fin, white with coral-red patches. Fins shaded in blue and grey, coloured hatching on a white ground.ScorpionBlack scorpion with large outstretched pincers and an arched tail ending in a reddish sting. Dark tones with soft shading on a pale grey ground.JaguarJaguar head (Panthera onca) in profile, with a yellow-orange coat covered in black rosettes and long whiskers. Coloured hatching on a light ground.ChameleonVeiled chameleon clinging to a thin branch, with a bulging eye, green skin and orange patches. Detailed hatching on a pale grey ground.Orangutan with infantOrangutan (Pongo) with its head bowed and long reddish fur, carrying an infant on its back. Brownish-pink tones on a softly shaded white ground.BearBrown bear head (Ursus arctos) in profile with open jaws and yellow fangs. A red cherry hovers in front of the mouth. Coloured hatching on a light ground.RhinocerosRhinoceros head in profile with a long horn and small eye, grey skin with orange highlights. Coloured hatching on a white ground.Flying squirrelRed squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) leaping with its long tail arched and legs stretched towards a tree stump at lower right. Coloured hatching on a pale grey ground.
