"Markhor"

The markhor (Capra falconeri) is the world's largest wild goat, living in the mountains of central Asia — Pakistan, Afghanistan, the western Himalayas. Its name literally means 'snake eater' in Persian. The adult male is recognisable by its horns, which twist in a spectacular corkscrew that can exceed one and a half metres, and by its long dark mane that descends to the chest.

The animal is shown standing on a rocky promontory, at three-quarters, its head turned towards the viewer. This elevated perch is not a compositional artifice: it is inherent to the species, which lives and reigns on steep faces. The posture speaks of territory as much as of the individual. The pale blue wash background evokes the altitude and mountain sky without depicting a precise landscape.