Art Institute of Chicago

Bengal Tiger

Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798-1863)

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

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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