Fight between a Tiger and a Buffalo is an oil painting created by Henri Rousseau in 1908. The work belongs to the later period of Rousseau’s career, when he was known for his imaginative jungle scenes, despite never having visited such environments. Painted in Paris, the piece reflects the artist’s characteristic style of dreamlike, detailed landscapes populated by exotic animals. The composition centers on a dramatic struggle between a tiger and a buffalo, set against dense, stylized foliage.

The tiger is shown leaping onto the buffalo’s back, its claws and teeth engaged, while the buffalo twists its head in response. The background is filled with lush, overlapping leaves and plants rendered in flat, vivid greens, with touches of red and yellow flowers punctuating the scene. Rousseau’s use of clear outlines, rich color, and a lack of traditional perspective gives the painting a distinctive, almost naïve quality. The painting is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

It has been recognized as a significant example of Rousseau’s jungle scenes, which were admired by avant-garde artists in early twentieth-century Paris. Since entering the museum’s collection, Fight between a Tiger and a Buffalo has been exhibited as a representative work of Rousseau’s unique vision and his contribution to the development of modern art.