King Abdullah, Adventure Magazine cover 1956

This cover art for Adventure Magazine by Mort Künstler, throws us right into the middle of an action scene with a jaguar, a brave adventurer, and some hungry crocodiles. It’s all painted with these rich greens and yellows, creating a super dramatic vibe. I can just imagine Künstler in his studio, really getting into the spirit of adventure. What might he have been thinking? Probably something along the lines of, how can I make this jaguar look as menacing as possible while also making sure our hero looks like he’s got a fighting chance? I love how he’s used the thick brushstrokes to create the texture of the jaguar’s fur. You can almost feel the tension in its muscles as it's ready to pounce. It makes me think about other artists, like maybe Henri Rousseau, who painted these incredible jungle scenes. Maybe Künstler was in conversation with him? Painting is like that; a conversation that keeps going across time. It's about capturing a feeling, an emotion, and leaving room for us to bring our own stories to it.