Lion Training Cub c. 1835 - 1839

print, ink, color-on-paper

abstract painting

print

japan

possibly oil pastel

handmade artwork painting

ink

fluid art

color-on-paper

acrylic on canvas

underpainting

painting painterly

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

watercolor

This woodblock print, "Lion Training Cub," is a classic example of the work of renowned Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige, dating from 1835-39. The print depicts a fierce lion training a cub, with bold brushstrokes and dynamic composition characteristic of Hiroshige's style. The lion, rendered with a powerful presence, exemplifies the artist's skill in capturing animal form and movement. This *ōtanzaku* (long narrow format) print exemplifies Hiroshige’s mastery of the *ukiyo-e* genre and showcases the dynamic and expressive qualities of Japanese woodblock prints.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Although lions are not native to China, the Japanese have long referred to them as karajishi, or Chinese lions, because the first lion images seen in Japan came from China in the 9th century. This print’s subject alludes to a well-known Chinese proverb about a lioness testing the strength and stamina of her cubs by pushing them off a cliff. She accepts only those able to climb back up the rocky precipice. In some versions, the lioness conducts this terrible test when the cubs are only three days old. The first line of the accompanying poem probably refers to cubs that survived into their fourth day. The four-day-old Chinese lion although just a little cub,is as graceful as a peony flower.