Description

With its head lowered and its jaws wide open, a tiger pushes forward over the edge of a rock, its front paw planted firmly with claws extended, its ringed tail raised high. The fur is rendered hair by hair, the black stripes running in bold curves across the tawny back.

Behind it hang withered, bleached blades of grass and bamboo branches that dissolve upward into a warm, hazy gold tone, lending the animal a stage-like presence. Especially striking is the rendering of the head, with its pale eyes, white whiskers, and visible fangs. The dry stalks in the background are deliberately kept pale so that the striped pattern of the fur stands out all the more clearly.

Tigers never occurred in the wild in Japan, which is why for centuries they were painted solely after Chinese models and pelts. They are regarded as a symbol of courage, strength, and protection against misfortune, and are among the most popular motifs in hanging scroll painting. Signature and red seals appear at the bottom and upper right. Executed as a screen print on silk.