La Chasse au Tigre (The Tiger Chase) (18th century, Met-Objekt 6526)
Original title: La Chasse au Tigre (The Tiger Chase)
kurzbeschreibung
Jean Jacques Flipart created the etching Die Tigerjagd in the 18th century. The print presents a lively hunt in which riders and a tiger brought to the ground meet on rocky terrain.
Description
Several riders on horseback fill the foreground, acting in different directions; among them a tiger lies on the ground. One rider has raised his arms, which can be read as a gesture of victory. The participants wear traditional clothing that points to a historical or invented setting. Behind them more hunters come into view. The layout feels restless and is dominated by numerous figures and horses; the light stays diffuse, the mood dramatic.
Context
The etching dates from the 18th century, when exotic hunting subjects found wide appeal in European art. Flipart, a French engraver, was known both for reproductions and for his own designs. The sheet may go back to older paintings or prints that took hunting in distant lands as their theme.
Impact
The image gives off an immediate tension and movement that draw the viewer into the action. A palette limited to greys heightens the dramatic pull of the scene and directs the eye to the figures and their gestures.
Technique
The work is executed as an etching, an intaglio process in which the drawing is bitten into a metal plate. The lines appear sharp and detailed; the grey values arise from the varying depth of the bite as well as from the printing process.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)