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Title

Dragon and tiger

late 16th century-early 17th century

Artist

attrib. Kanô Takanobu

Japan

1571 – 1618

  • Details

    Place where the work was made
    Japan
    Period
    Edo (Tokugawa) period 1615 - 1868 → Japan
    Momoyama period 1573 - 1615 → Japan
    Date
    late 16th century-early 17th century
    Media categories
    Scroll , Painting
    Materials used
    hanging scroll; ink on paper
    Dimensions
    148.3 x 171.1 cm
    Signature & date

    Not signed. Not dated.

    Credit
    Purchased 1981
    Location
    Not on display
    Accession number
    252.1981
    Copyright

    Reproduction requests

    Artist information
    attrib. Kanô Takanobu

    Works in the collection

    1

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  • About

    In 13th century Japan, with the development of Zen-Buddhist art, a new symbolic meaning was attributed to the dragon representing the soaring spirit of the freed satoric (or suddenly enlightened) soul. The dragon is often accompanied by a tiger, which is associated with the earthbound enlightened mind. Paintings of dragons swirling in the sky among clouds and tigers in a bamboo grove, were highly popular decorations in Zen Temples in the formats of hanging scrolls, sliding doors and folding screen.

    The dragon and tiger motif eventually spread from Zen circles into the secular world and especially appealed to the ruling samurai class in the 15th to 10th centuries, since both animals symbolised power, courage and authority.

    This dynamic depiction of the dragon and tiger is attributed to Kano Takanobu and was originally pasted on a sliding door in the palace of a samurai warlord. Dragons in Japanese art are usually depicted with three claws, in contrast to the five or four claws usually found on Chinese ones.

    Asian Art Department, AGNSW, January 2012

  • Places

    Where the work was made

    Japan

  • Exhibition history

    Shown in 2 exhibitions

    • Art of the brush, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 23 Sep 1995–12 Nov 1995

    • Dragon (2012), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 18 Jan 2012–06 May 2012

  • Bibliography

    Referenced in 2 publications