Graceful Display- Swan
$185.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
A quiet, sun-warmed presence defines this canvas: a cougar lounges on wind-smoothed rock, its tawny coat lit by a low, clear light that feels almost tangible. You first notice the animal’s alert but relaxed posture — head turned, eyes attentive — which gives the scene a mix of ease and latent power. The artist’s careful handling of warm highlights against cooler, shadowed cliffs behind creates a convincing late-afternoon atmosphere, where the sun briefly accentuates texture in fur and stone. Small details — the subtle muscling along the flank, the fractured veins in the rock, the cool blue of distant ridgelines — deepen the sense of place without distracting from the animal’s calm sovereignty. It’s a contemplative moment: both a study of natural beauty and a reminder of the cougar’s watchful presence in a vast landscape. As an image to live with, it brings warmth and a quiet dignity to a room, anchored by strong natural light and serene observation.
The Artwork
About Fleeting Sun
Fleeting Sun<br> LIMITED EDITION CANVAS
Daniel Smith’s paintings of wildlife, be it bear, moose, bison, crow or even otter, capture the complete essence of a species in a single moment, a brief pause in an otherwise very physical existence. Likewise viewing these paintings leaves us stilled, like hikers or mountaineers who round a bend and come unexpectedly upon the beauty and fierce intelligence of the animals who share our earth.
North American cougars are now largely extinct in the Northeast United States but are still prevalent in parts of the West, notably Wyoming which has the largest North American population. A solitary, stalk-and-ambush predator, cougar favor deer, elk, bighorn sheep and the occasional domestic cattle.
Fleeting Sun is unusual for Daniel Smith in that the sunlight is hitting his subject perpendicularly, highlighting the silky, tawny coat against the cool shadows of gathering dusk in the cliffs behind.
North American cougars are now largely extinct in the Northeast United States but are still prevalent in parts of the West, notably Wyoming which has the largest North American population. A solitary, stalk-and-ambush predator, cougar favor deer, elk, bighorn sheep and the occasional domestic cattle.
Fleeting Sun is unusual for Daniel Smith in that the sunlight is hitting his subject perpendicularly, highlighting the silky, tawny coat against the cool shadows of gathering dusk in the cliffs behind.
Collector Details
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About the Collection
Daniel Smith is a renowned wildlife artist, celebrated for his photorealistic animal portraits and breathtaking nature paintings. His work captures the beauty and spirit of North American wildlife, from majestic big cats and powerful bears to intricately detailed bird illustrations. With a deep commitment to fine art conservation, Smith’s wilderness landscapes and lifelike animal studies bring viewers closer to nature. His collectible fine art prints and original paintings are highly sought after by wildlife enthusiasts and art collectors who appreciate exceptional realism and environmental storytelling.
Artist Signature
Signed by the artist
This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by Daniel Smith.
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Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
Painter Daniel Smith, who is equal parts hermit, aesthete, and explorer of the outback, has never thought of himself as being a visual provocateur.
Who could have thought that classical wildlife art would one day be considered simultaneously accessible and avant-garde? Who would have guessed that images of animals would loom large as perhaps the most potent icons of our time?
Animals are telltale totems, not only of the past, but of a yet uncertain future. The opening of the one-man exhibition, "Animal Magnetism: The Wildlife Art of Daniel Smith" at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in 2008 was validation of Smith's growing stature in this unique and provocative artistic genre. "In my opinion, Dan Smith is truly one of America's great wildlife painters," says John Geraghty, board member of the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles and a prominent art collector.
Over the last decade, Smith's original pieces have been exhibited at, or become part of permanent collections at the Eiteljorg, the Autry, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, The Bennington Center for the Arts, The Wildlife Experience, The Leanin Tree Museum of Western Art and the Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History.
Today, Smith and his wife, Liz, the parents of three
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