A fearsome creature of the swamp becomes a study in astounding beauty in Herend’s spectacular portrayal of the largest reptile in North America. Ancestors of the alligator appeared 200 million years ago and later managed to avoid extinction when their prehistoric contemporaries, the dinosaurs, died off. The American alligator has been described as a rare success story, as they were once endangered but are now thriving due to state and federal protection, habitat preservation measures and reduced demand for alligator products. Herend’s striking version takes approximately three days to paint and demands the talents of 18 artists to create from beginning to end.
