“I enjoy relating animals to human equivalents,” said artist Simon Combes. “I always think of cheetahs, for example, as very serious animals. A lion may grin and a leopard may leer or sneer but a cheetah would only frown. A cheetah might be a dedicated professional athlete whereas a lion would be an amateur rugby player.”

Simultaneously relaxed and vigilant, the cheetah at the center of Arrogance seems very somber indeed. This is, in part, attributable to the cheetah’s “tear marks,” black markings that run from the cheetah’s eyes to its mouth. The markings help block sunlight, as well as aid in hunting and seeing over long distances. They also make the cheetah appear incurably grave.

Simon Combes’ gorgeous rendering of one of nature’s fastest animals at rest was created as part of his “Great Cats of the World” series. Arrogance is a captivating portrait that will become the focal point of any room.