White Eagle Eyeing a Mountain Lion 1885

"White Eagle Eyeing a Mountain Lion" is a striking 1885 painting by the renowned Japanese artist Kawanabe Kyōsai, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work showcases Kyōsai's mastery of ink and wash techniques, capturing the powerful presence of a white eagle perched atop a rocky outcrop, its sharp gaze fixed on a mountain lion hidden within a bamboo grove. This dynamic composition, imbued with a sense of anticipation and tension, reflects Kyōsai's talent for depicting the raw energy and symbolism of the natural world, a hallmark of his later artistic output.