Dragon and Tiger
Maruyama Ōkyo Japanese
Auspicious images of dragons and tigers stand out as among the most popular Chinese pictorial themes transplanted to Japan. The East Asian dragon, usually represented surrounded by clouds, is associated with water, embodying a dynamic natural force manifest in thunderstorms. The dragon is said to preside over the heavens, while the tiger, an animal not native to Japan, is believed to rule the earth.
In the right-hand scroll of this entirely monochrome composition, Maruyama Ōkyo depicts the dragon emerging from clouds rendered in the layers of soft washes for which the artist was famous. At left, the tiger—its fur meticulously picked out in fine brushstrokes—glares upward at the dragon but displays little suggestion of ferocity, as is typical of Japanese depictions.
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