Minneapolis Institute of Art

Tiger [left of a pair of Tiger and Dragon]

Mori IppoLinkedCulture matchlcp-2851019715d4

Date: 1868
Medium: Hanging scroll, left of a pair, ink on silk
Department: Asian Art
Institution: Minneapolis Institute of Art
Object ID: 78618

From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record

Dragon and tiger is a common pairing in East Asian art. According to the Chinese classic Yijing (Book of Changes), the dragon commands the clouds and therefore the heavens, while the tiger controls the wind and thus the earth. Together, the two creatures encompass the universe and were considered auspicious symbols. In this pair of hanging scrolls, the tiger sits next to a small sprig of bamboo. Diagonal streaks of ink wash mimic the movement of wind. The dragon rises, barely revealing itself through breaks in the clouds. Its head emerges from splashed ink, offering a moment of visibility before it retreats into the heavens. Japan

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Credit line: Gift of Harriet and Ed Spencer

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