Description:

19th Century Art

Festival coat with dragon, Japanese, late 1800s

Source: www.metmuseum.com

Analyze:

Interpret:

As a tiger looks up at the sky, a dragon is shown soaring through the clouds.

The dragon's head is bigger than the rest of its body. These proportions emphasize the facial features.

The hints of blue throughout the coat unifies the piece.

The irregular shape of the tiger's body creates movement.

The repetition of the cloud pattern reminds the viewer of the entire idea of rain.

The exaggerated shapes in the dragon's mouth add visual interest.

In Japanese culture, dragons are a type of water deity. This means they were associated with rain. Consequently, it wasn't unusual for the people to depict dragons during times of drought.