Tiger Licking Its Paw c. 17th century
attributedtotawarayasotatsu
minneapolisinstituteofart
ink-on-paper, hanging-scroll
toned paper
pencil sketch
japan
possibly oil pastel
ink-on-paper
oil painting
hanging-scroll
pencil drawing
coffee painting
underpainting
watercolour illustration
botanical art
watercolor
This 17th-century painting, attributed to Tawaraya Sōtatsu, depicts a majestic tiger in a moment of quiet contemplation. The animal is rendered with masterful detail, emphasizing its powerful physique and the textured fur. This single-animal composition, painted in ink and washes on paper, is typical of the Rinpa style, known for its elegant line work and refined imagery. This artwork is a prime example of the style's focus on natural subjects and their integration with decorative elements. This painting, now in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is a captivating testament to the artistic mastery of this influential Japanese artist.
Comments
The endearing pose of a tiger licking his paw was a standard theme among Chinese painters of the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). The Japanese painter Tawaraya Sōtatsu might have seen such a painting but instead of imitating the precise, descriptive brushwork of Chinese-style ink painters, he rendered this tiger in pale tonalities, applying the ink with a relatively large brush. Sōtatsu, son of a wealthy merchant, was a pioneer of the decorative Rinpa style and is today recognized as one of the most prominent artists of Japan. By the late 1620s, he was painting for the imperial court and was the first member of the merchant class that received the honorary Buddhist ecclesiastical title hokkyō (Bridge of the Law).
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