Untamed Underworld Blog Post Image by Roberta Pacino

The Untamed Underworld: How My Gangster Animals Came to Life

By Roberta Pacino

There’s a new mob in town—and they walk on paws. Welcome to The Untamed Underworld, where raccoons sip bourbon, rabbits flash wry smiles, and lions run the show with quiet authority. This whimsical crime family sprang from my imagination somewhere between a noir film and a fairytale, where mischief and meaning meet over shared meals and secret handshakes.

It’s a collection rooted in personality, power, and a deep love of storytelling—and it’s fast becoming one of my most beloved bodies of work.

🎩 The Spark Behind the Collection

The idea came like a cinematic whisper—slow, smoky, and impossible to ignore. I’ve always been drawn to character, to mystery, to the way a well-framed moment can say everything without a single word. I come from an Italian family steeped in storytelling and drama, and I have a background in film, so this world felt familiar from the very start.

When I began painting The Untamed Underworld, I was pulled into the same atmosphere I love in classic mob films—that distinctive lighting, the strong silent types, the layered codes of loyalty and power. I found myself using those themes not just for fun, but also as a way to reflect on present-day dynamics—social, political, even emotional. And I have to say, I get a very good feeling when I paint them. It’s expressive, cinematic, and deeply connected to who I am.

🐾 Meet the Bosses

The Untamed Underworld isn’t just a collection—it’s a cast.

  • Don Leone – A commanding lion boss, seated with unwavering presence. He doesn’t need to growl to be heard. His stillness says it all.
  • Vito Stripes – A tiger with quiet fire in his eyes. He shares the table with Don Leone in The Sit-Down, a jungle scene where spaghetti takes center stage. It’s a nod to tradition, to loyalty—and maybe a little mischief simmering under the surface.
  • Sweet Deal – A raccoon and a lop-eared bunny dressed in sharp suits, seated at a table layered with strawberries, gold coins, and bourbon. I’m still playing with names for these two characters—feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments!

Coming soon: The Sit-Down Loaded – a special limited edition print featuring one subtle but powerful addition: a 9mm handgun resting on the table. It shifts the mood just enough to suggest danger without overpowering the elegance of the scene.

A whimsical painting featuring a raccoon dressed as a gangster and a bunny in a suit, sitting at a table with gold coins, strawberries, and a bottle of bourbon. Sweet Deal by Roberta Pacino

Sweet Deal – a raccoon and lop-eared bunny negotiate with charm and finesse over strawberries, gold coins, and bourbon.

👉 Shop Sweet Deal products:
Greeting Cards | Mugs | T-Shirts | Framed Prints

🎨 Why These Characters Matter

These aren’t just animals in suits. They’re personalities. Archetypes. Characters pulled from a parallel world where the rules are just a little more charming—and a lot more symbolic.

  • The big cats—Don Leone the lion and Vito Stripes the tiger—represent leadership, presence, and instinctual power. They are the natural bosses of the wild, and in these scenes, they also symbolize dignity, restraint, and strategic dominance.
  • The jungle setting evokes untamed emotion, primal loyalty, and raw truth beneath the surface of civilized behavior.
  • Sharing a meal, whether it’s spaghetti or strawberries, becomes a symbolic gesture—connection, alliance, and the rituals that bond even the fiercest of beings.

I also use props with layered meanings:

  • Strawberries for temptation, sweetness, and the love of wealth.
  • Gold coins for legacy and value—not just in currency, but in character.
  • Bourbon for warmth, ritual, and quiet power.

Every detail is hand-painted. No shortcuts, no AI. Just me, my brush, and hours of layering color and story into each piece.

An artwork depicting a lion and a tiger dressed in gangster attire, sitting at a table with spaghetti, with a rainforest-like background. The Sit-Down by Roberta Pacino.

The Sit-Down – Don Leone and Vito Stripes meet in the jungle over a bowl of spaghetti.

👉 Limited edition print of “The Sit-Down Loaded” with added 9mm detail coming soon!

🛍️ The Collection in the Shop

You can now find The Untamed Underworld collection at RobertaPacino.com, featuring:

  • Framed and unframed prints
  • Greeting cards
  • Mugs
  • T-shirts
  • Limited editions coming soon

Please note: These pieces are not yet available as puzzles—but I’m exploring that for the future!

Whether you’re decorating your den, gifting a character to a kindred spirit, or adding a cinematic twist to your morning coffee—there’s a boss waiting to join your world.

🎬 It’s Not Just Art. It’s a Conversation.

Painting this collection has been pure joy. It lets me express something deep and theatrical—something that ties back to my heritage, my family, and my love for film. These characters are more than images. They’re moods, expressions, and echoes of stories you might already know in your bones.

Let the intrigue begin.

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