This painting comes from the collection of Birgit and Robert Bateman. Bateman is one of Canada’s most celebrated wildlife artists, renowned for his highly detailed and quietly powerful portrayals of animals in their natural habitats. Born in 1930 in Toronto, Bateman developed an early fascination with nature that would become the foundation of his lifelong artistic practice. Working in a realist style, Bateman’s paintings are distinguished not only by their precision, but by their atmosphere and sense of stillness. Rather than dramatizing wildlife, he often presents animals as part of a larger ecosystem—sometimes small within the composition—encouraging viewers to slow down and observe the subtleties of the natural world. Beyond his studio practice, Bateman is an outspoken naturalist and educator, using his art to promote awareness of endangered species and fragile ecosystems. His legacy extends through both his paintings and his advocacy, positioning him as a central figure in Canadian art and one of the most influential wildlife artists of the twentieth century.

It is only fitting that as a wildlife painter himself, Bateman collected paintings by some of the other masters of wildlife painting. Bruno Liljefors was a Swedish artist widely regarded as one of the most important wildlife painters of the 19th century. Deeply influenced by Darwinism and his own close observation of nature, Liljefors approached wildlife as part of a complex ecological system rather than as isolated subjects. His compositions are notable for their dramatic perspectives and immersive settings, often placing the viewer directly within the landscape. Liljefors helped redefine the genre, shifting it toward a more authentic and behaviorally informed vision that continues to influence nature painters today.