Tiger, Late Joseon Dynasty | Korean Ink Painting Art Print

It walks slowly toward you, head low, golden eyes locked on yours. One more step, and it will be in the room.

This tiger is one of the most famous in Korean painting. Kept today at the National Museum of Korea, it was long attributed to the master Sim Sa-jeong (1707–1769). Scholars now believe it is the work of an unknown painter of the late Joseon period, and its mystery only adds to its power.

Far from folk art

Unlike the cheerful, cartoon-like tigers of Korean minhwa folk painting, this one belongs to the world of scholar painters. No color, no magpie, no landscape: only ink on paper, and thousands of fine strokes building up the fur, hair by hair.

Look closer

• The fur: thousands of tiny lines in shades of grey and black, so dense the tiger seems to bristle.
• The eyes, the only touch of warmth in the painting.
• The tail, curling up like a question mark above the arched back.
• The poem at the top right, added later: it compares the tiger's ferocity to the tyrants who prowl among men.

Your print

• Fine-art printing on heavy matte paper 250 GSM
• Original proportions: no stretching, no cropping
• White borders for easy framing · custom border sizes on request
• Frame not included

Image: Tiger, unidentified artist, late Joseon dynasty. Ink on paper. National Museum of Korea.

Discover more big cats and dragons in our Tigers & Dragons of Asia collection.