Lions Dancing Among Peonies on Stone Bridge
late 19th century
Medium
Ink on tissue paper
Dimensions
sheet: 10 3/8 x 6 1/8 in. (26.4 x 15.5 cm) sheet: 10 3/8 x 6 1/4 in. (26.4 x 15.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.879
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian collection, *Lions Dancing Among Pe on Stone Bridge* is delicate late 19th-century Japanese rendered in ink on tissue-thin paper. Measuring just over 10 by 6 inches, this intimate work captures mythical lions—vibrant symbols of power and protection in Japanese folklore—frolicking joyfully amid lush peonies on a sturdy stone bridge. The peonies, with their bold blooms, evoke prosperity and bravery, while the bridge suggests a harmonious passage between worlds, blending whimsy with auspicious themes common in East Asian art. Created during Japan...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –