Anonymous

Description:

Korea, Yi dynasty, ca. 18th cent.
89 x 50 cm ( R.)
Depiction of a magnificent tiger, slightly crouched in the shadow of a pine tree. Ink and colour on paper.
From an important South German private collection, assembled since the 1960s
The tiger was traditionally an object of great fear in East Asia, perceived as a ferocious beast that would harm human beings, and at the same time an object of awe as a sacred animal with the power to expel evil spirits. The eyes as bright as lightning in the dark, the sharp teeth and claws that pierce through the skin of the prey to kill it, the splendor of its striped fur, the fiendish agility with which it appears and disappears at an instant with the sound of the wind, and the magnificence with which it climbs to the mountaintop and looks down at the forest below, putting fear into the hearts of all beasts with a single roar-all of these traits demonstrated the tiger’s majesty as the king of the beasts and inspired its transformation into an object of worship. In Korea, the tiger has long been a symbolic animal, deeply embedded in the culture and mythology. It appears in key historical myths, such as the foundation story of Gojoseon, and in tales associated with notable figures like Gyeon Hwon and Wang Geon. The rugged, mountainous landscape of Korea provided a natural habitat for tigers, leading to frequent encounters and "tiger disasters" where people and livestock were killed. Tigers were especially present during the Three Kingdoms and Goryeo periods, even entering the Gyeongbokgung Palace during the Joseon Dynasty - From an important South German private collection, assembled since the 1960s - Wear and minor damages, framed under glass