East Asian Art Tigers Made in Korea, AsiaJoseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Late 19th to early 20th century Artist/maker unknown, Korean Ink and color on paper Currently not on view 2006-30-2 Gift of Dr. Andrew Byoung Soo Kim and Mrs. Wan Kyun Rha Kim in honor of James and Agnes Kim, 2006 |
LabelThe tiger--a favorite animal of Koreans since ancient times--has enjoyed wide popularity in Korean art and literature. The belief that tigers hold the incantatory power of repelling evil spirits promoted the mass production of folk-style tiger paintings, which would be displayed in the Joseon household on New Year's Day. This painting depicts two tigers executed in a typical spontaneous Korean style. The exaggerated eyes are the most distinctive feature of Korean tiger paintings. |
