Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392-1897). Ink, watercolor, and gouache on silk. Mounted on a silk brocade frame, set inside a vintage frame, behind glass. Illustrating a tiger seated on its hindlegs, the landscape rocky with sparse vegetation, a bird chirps at the ferocious feline as it looks at it with a stern expression.

Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, light scratches, and few spots. The frame with usual traces of wear and age.
Provenance: From a German private collection.

Dimensions: Image size 50.5 x 43.5 cm, Size incl. frame 69 x 61.3 cm

The mountainous landscape of Korea was once home to a large tiger population, such that the country was popularly known as the “Land of Tigers.” Korea was also once called the “land of the exceptional people who know how to tame the tiger,” demonstrating the close relationship between tigers and the Korean people. From ancient times through the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), Koreans have expressed their reverence for tigers in various ways. For example, a tiger plays a prominent role in the myth of Dangun, which depicts the birth of the Korean civilization. Tigers are often featured as guardian deitiesin funerary art and as the spirit of the mountain god in Buddhist and folk art.