Cheetah. Pigment-painted split bamboo or cane; 137 cm x 48 cm. Probably North-Eastern India. c. mid-20th century. 7/5780.
An unusual construction in split bamboo or cane is this extremely nimble-looking cheetah, or hunting leopard, now said to be extinct in India. The long animated tail and slender body of this agile and light-footed animal truly capture the essence of the cheetah, the swiftest sprinter of the jungle.