De tijger 1894 - 1959

This image, "De Tijger," by Gordinne, feels like it’s been coaxed into being. The tiger emerges out of a muted palette of browns, greens, and creams, and its stripes are a series of active brushstrokes. I wonder what Gordinne was thinking as they painted, trying to capture the essence of this powerful animal with such delicate marks. The paint looks thinly applied, almost like watercolor, which gives the whole image a light, airy feel. Each stroke seems deliberate, carefully placed to define the tiger's form and bring it to life. That one long, curved stroke that defines the tiger’s back leg? It’s so simple, yet it perfectly conveys the animal’s tension and energy. Artists are always in conversation with one another, and I can see echoes of Japanese woodblock prints in this piece. It reminds me that painting is an ongoing exchange of ideas across time, with each artist building on the work of those who came before.