GENTLE GIANT — GUARDIAN OF THE MANGROVES

Original Oil Painting by Art LaFranchise

Lot #10017 • Retail Price: $220

“Gentle Giant — Guardian of the Mangroves” captures one of Southwest Florida’s most beloved residents—the manatee. Surrounded by submerged mangrove roots and small marine life, the manatee moves peacefully through brilliant turquoise water as rays of sunlight stream down from the surface.

Art LaFranchise creates a feeling of actually being beneath the water, quietly observing this gentle giant in its natural habitat. The twisting mangrove roots frame the scene while the illuminated sandy bottom and scattered fish add depth and movement.

The subject has an especially strong connection to Matlacha and Southwest Florida, where encounters with manatees around our docks, canals, mangroves, and waterways are part of what makes this area so special.

Original Oil Painting • Art LaFranchise • One of a Kind • Lot #10017 • $220