Sitting Tiger c. mid 18th century

Yanagisawa Kien created this hanging scroll, “Sitting Tiger,” sometime in the mid-18th century, using ink and color on silk. Note the delicacy of the silk, and the patient, skilled labor required to create such an image. The artist would have needed complete control of the brush to create the fine lines and subtle gradations of color, building up the image layer by layer. Consider also the social context of this artwork. Kien was a samurai, but also a scholar and painter. His work reflects the influence of both Chinese literati painting and Japanese traditions. The tiger itself is rendered with an almost whimsical touch, far from a symbol of raw power. This speaks to a culture of connoisseurship, where refinement and artistic skill were highly valued. So, when you look at “Sitting Tiger,” remember that it's not just an image, but a record of skilled work, cultural exchange, and social identity, all made manifest through the careful application of ink and color on silk.