Korean Folk Art – The Tiger

While living in Seoul in the 70s, I was greatly influenced by Korean Folk Art. It was a traditional style of painting that included brilliant colours and simple subjects portrayed with humour and satire. The paintings illustrated folk legends, mythology and Shamanist spiritual symbols. The Tiger was considered a divine being and messenger of the mountain spirit. Korean tigers were rarely depicted as ferocious, but rather, as friendly, docile animals with a playful manner.

Here is a famous Korean Folk Art tiger painted 200 years ago by an unknown painter.

Korean Folk Art Tiger Painting

Here is one of my tigers from 2010.

"Tiger, Blue Mountains, Red Sun"