Sitting Tiger
1777
Maruyama Ōkyo, a pioneer of realistic painting in 18th-century Japan, created this 'Sitting Tiger' in 1777 with a mix of intense observation and slight artistic license. The tiger looks less like a ferocious jungle predator and more like a giant, fluffy house cat with a confused expression, likely because Ōkyo had to study captive specimens since tigers weren't native to Japan. The detailed fur and relaxed pose show his signature *shaseiga* (sketching from life) style, bringing a wild animal into a domestic, almost humorous light.
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