Kawanabe Kyosai Picture of a Real, Wild Tiger Drawn from Life Print

The Untamed Brushwork of a Master 🐅 🎨

Picture this: late Edo-period Japan, a world on the brink of transformation, and an artist so audacious that his contemporaries nicknamed him "The Demon of Painting." Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831–1889) created this extraordinary tiger work during an era when seeing a real tiger would have been extraordinarily rare in Japan. Yet the visceral power of this composition, the blood-streaked maw, the coiled musculature, the predatory tension frozen mid-strike, suggests an artist who understood wildness at a primal level.

What makes this piece particularly remarkable is its title's bold claim: "drawn from life." Whether Kyōsai actually encountered a living tiger remains one of art history's delicious mysteries, but the work's anatomical precision and psychological intensity suggest deep observation, possibly of imported specimens or extensive study of Chinese and Korean tiger paintings. The result is both scientifically rigorous and thrillingly theatrical.

Kyōsai wasn't just any artist, he was the last great virtuoso of traditional Japanese painting before Western influences fundamentally reshaped the country's artistic landscape. Born Shūzaburō in 1831, he witnessed Japan's dramatic transformation during the Meiji Restoration, yet remained defiantly rooted in classical techniques while simultaneously pioneering visual approaches that would influence manga and modern illustration.

🎨 Why Choose This Art Print?
This isn’t just any reproduction. Our fine art posters use cutting-edge giclée fine art 12-colour printing technology to ensure every subtle hue is faithfully rendered. The smooth matte finish on FSC-certified paper keeps your art print glare-free and eco-friendly, perfect for collectors who care about sustainability and quality alike. What's more, ART SNOB prints every image at over 350 dpi, ensuring ultra-sharp clarity and incredible definition that truly stands out.

🌿 Key Features of Our Fine Art Posters:

• Vivid Colour: 12-colour giclée printing for museum-quality tones.

• Eco-Friendly: FSC-certified, sustainably sourced paper.

• Smooth Matte Finish: Minimal glare for a clean, gallery-like presentation.

• Customisable Sizes: Fits any frame or space.