With the elongation of the legs he has managed to capture the elegant and graceful essence of the animals despite their bulky appearance. The colors in the painting are somewhat subdued: the red not a bright blood red but more of a red like the sky at night. It feels like we are seeing the animals at the end of the day when the sun is setting. The elephants also are both carrying heavy loads and facing one another as if they are confronting one another, although one does not get the feeling that they are angry or even annoyed with one another. They are simply not moving in the same direction nor is it clear in which direction they will be moving. One is used to seeing elephants following along behind one another so that seeing them facing one another is odd in itself. The elephants are also at a great distance from us. In one sense they appear like circus or toy elephants. The painting has many levels to it and is a bit of a mystery, compelling us to continue to look at it.