Art Institute of Chicago

Bengal Tiger

Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798-1863)LinkedCulture matchlcp-ff01cec55b2b

Date: 1829
Medium: Lithograph in black on light gray China paper laid down on ivory wove paper (chine collé)
Culture: France
Department: Prints and Drawings
Institution: Art Institute of Chicago
Object ID: 41095

Delacroix’s largest pair of pendant prints features a monumental lion (1927.1646) and a regal tiger (seen here), presented in a kind of face-off. Ancient Roman games regularly pitted Barbary lions and Bengal tigers against each other. Into the late 19th century, they were still made occasional enemies for entertainment and profit, as in one heavily wagered bout to the death in India. While this particular big cat may appear passive compared with the ravening lion, the tiger usually triumphed in these showdowns.

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Credit line: The Joseph Brooks Fair Collection

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Object type: AAT300041273

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