Totem | Figurative Wolf Oil Painting on Copper | Animal Form | Liliya Muglia

Totem is an oil on copper painting measuring 24 × 24 inches (61 × 61 cm), presenting a powerful meditation on kinship, instinct, and the shared spiritual lineage between humans and the animal world. At the center of the composition, a human figure is encircled by female wolves whose bodies and gestures form a protective, almost ceremonial presence.

Rather than depicting dominance or conflict, the work emphasizes reciprocity. The wolves lean inward, their proximity intimate and deliberate, suggesting guardianship, ancestral memory, and mutual recognition. Their presence evokes the concept of the totem not as an emblem of power, but as a symbol of belonging—an acknowledgement of shared origin, survival, and responsibility within the natural order.

Rendered with refined realism and heightened emotional restraint, Totem speaks to universal themes of identity and harmony. The copper surface lends warmth and luminosity to the figures, reinforcing the sense of timelessness and reverence embedded in the scene. This is not a narrative of myth alone, but of enduring connection—humanity situated within, not above, the living world.

The original artwork remains in the artist’s private collection and is available for acquisition. Fine art print options are also offered for collectors seeking a carefully produced reproduction that preserves the depth, color, and symbolic detail of the original work.