Dragon
1604
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1604
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This screen shows a dragon twisting through swirling clouds. Its long body curves in sharp, black ink lines against pale washes of gray and white. The artist used quick, confident strokes to show power and motion. Nichokuan painted this in the early 1600s, when artists often paired dragons with tigers to show balance. Tigers stood for strength and action, while dragons stood for change and sky. The artist signed the work, which is rare for this time. Look up Soga Nichokuan (Japanese) to see more of his hawk-eagle paintings.
