Ink on paper, Japan, 17th cent.
Large format painting, in the manner of screen fields, however not connected but to hang individually. A tiger is in the center of both pictures, but in very different ways. The animal under the bamboo moves sinuously and silently, his long tail snaps high like a whip and his eyes are riveted upwards. Bamboo and tiger (take ni tora) are a classical subject and tight symbolic partners, as both possess the nature of tenacity and elastic flexibility, also through supremacy due to its elemental power. Take ni tora thus also stands in ideal liaison to Japanese warriors, Bushido. The other painting presents the big cat brawny and sitting in the foreground, somewhat crouched down, as if it would prepare to attack. Over the animal is a hanging pine branch with sharp thick needle clusters, behind it the vertical falling branch of a willow. Depictions of tigers have been a theme in Japanese painting since old times, known are, for example, the tiger Kao (14th cent.) in a Kyoto Monastery or later from Rosetsu (18th cent.), who placed the tiger in frontal dramatic foreground scene. Here both works are oriented toward the older tradition. The mounting is respect. the same, both sumi-e are framed by gilded paper moulding, an effect that strengthens the secretive excitement of both depictions (the brown tone due to age also plays a role). The brocade frame offers gold-colored peonies on a blue ground. Minor damage due to age, frame is from a younger period. Picture HEIGHT 167,5 cm, WIDTH 91,7 cm
From the private collection Robert W., acquired 1950´s - 1970´s