Artwork Page for Tigers and Leopard Frolicking

Details / Information for Tigers and Leopard Frolicking

Tigers and Leopard Frolicking

호표도 [虎豹圖]

1700s

Korea, Joseon dynasty

(1392–1910)
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink on paper
Measurements
Painting only: 91.4 x 163.8 cm (36 x 64 1/2 in.); Overall: 208.3 x 193.4 cm (82 x 76 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Leighton R. and Rosemarie Longhi 1998.292
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Korean artists during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) often described leopards as baby tigers, explaining why in this painting tigers and leopards are shown together as a family.

Description

This monochrome composition depicts a tiger and her young playing at stalking one another in a stand of pine. Tigers, considered messengers of mountain spirits, and are often paired with leopards, mistakenly thought to be baby tigers.

The signature written at the upper left of the painting reads "The mountain recluse of Honam," possibly referring to a painter from Jeolla province in Korea.
A horizontal ink painting on a paper hanging scroll reveals two striped tigers and a spotted leopard beneath a pine tree. To our left and right, tigers with large, round eyes gaze inward toward a leopard crouched in the center. Fine, repeated strokes form the pine needles and fur textures. Upper left, columns of calligraphy and two red seals appear. Decorative dark borders with gold bird motifs frame the top and bottom.

Tigers and Leopard Frolicking

1700s

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

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