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Kitao Shigemasa 北尾重政

Dragon and Tiger (Ryuko)

Maker

Kitao Shigemasa 北尾重政 (Japanese, 1739–1820, b. in Edo, Japan)
Urokogataya Magobei (Japanese), publisher

Title

Dragon and Tiger (Ryuko)

Period

Edo Period

Year

1770s

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

ink, color

Supports

Geography

Place Made: Japan; Place Made: Tokyo

Dimensions

Image: 70.5 x 12.1 cm (27 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

Inscription verso. bottom right in pencil:EGR301

Signature: Kitao Shigemasa ga

Seals: Publisher's emblem

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke

Object Number

20.1093

Type

Exhibition History

Sukima
Vertical Glimpses of the Floating World
Jun 01, 2018 – Nov 25, 2018
Feathers, Flowers, Talons and Fangs
Power and Serenity in Japanese Nature Prints
Feb 02, 2007 – Jun 10, 2007

Label copy

The dragon and the tiger are powerful directional symbols borrowed from ancient Chinese cosmology. The dragon, regarded as the protector of the cosmos and bringer of thunder, rain, and fertility, alludes to spring and to the east, whereas the tiger, which symbolizes courage and physical strength, is associated with the earth, autumn, and the west. As the most powerful animals in their respective celestial and terrestrial abodes, their pairing expresses the balance of forces within the universe.

A Wealth of Symbolism
Bird-and-Flower Prints from the Abbey Aldrich Rockefeller Collection
Mar 09, 2001 – Jun 03, 2001

Label copy

This potent image of dragon and tiger derives its impact from a number of carefully balanced references. The dragon, regarded as the protector of the cosmos and bringer of thunder, rain, and fertility, alludes to spring and to the east, whereas the tiger, which symbolizes courage and physical strength, is associated with the earth, autumn, and the west. As the most powerful animals in their respective celestial and terrestrial abodes, the two make a striking combination.

Seeing with the Mind's Eye
The Art of Printmaking in Japan
Dec 31, 1999 – Mar 19, 2000

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Kitao Shigemasa 北尾重政 (Japanese, 1739–1820, b. in Edo, Japan)
Urokogataya Magobei (Japanese), publisher
Dragon and Tiger (Ryuko), 1770s
Polychrome woodblock print
Image: 70.5 x 12.1 cm (27 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches)
Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke 20.1093

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