李曼峰

Siont Teja，《李曼峰油畫選集第二冊》，新加坡，Art Retreat，2005年，第290頁

The work is in good condition overall, as is the board, which is free from warping and cracks. There is evidence of light wear and handling around the edges of the painting, but only visible upon close observation. Examination under ultraviolet light shows no sign of restoration. Framed.
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The choice of subject, tigers, made this painting a very unique one among Lee Man-Fong’s oeuvre.  Tigers are a subject Lee rarely touched on – he predominantly painted what are seen as calmer and more domestic animals, for instance, dogs, chickens and fish.  Besides, Tigersdisplays Lee’s mastery over the synthesis of Eastern and Western painting styles.  While the liubai (the blank area, 留白)at the top and the incorporation of text and stamps into the pictorial space suggest characteristics of Chinese ink paintings, the fact that this is an oil painting and the techniques employed  betray European artistic influences. 

Tigers, alongside dragons, phoenixes and turquoises, are regarded as the four super-intelligent creatures in Chinese culture.  Additionally, tigers have long been seen as the King of all animals, partly due to their prowess and ferocity, but also because the stripes on their foreheads which resemble the Chinese character for king (王).  Tigers are hence considered as the epitome of macho principles and the desire to conquer.  On the other hand, tigers are admired for their beauty and elegance, especially in their gorgeous fur and their postures.  It is this very harmony of opposites in tigers that captivated the awe of many.  Symbolically, tigers are believed to be the enemies of evil.  Their strong and courageous image is therefore frequently used in folklores as a sign of protection.

Apart from the use of traditional Chinese subject, other features also give Tigers a distinctive Oriental flavour.  Liubai, a common device used in Chinese ink paintings (in particular shanshui paintings) to denote fogs and clouds, is used for the same effect here; furthermore the blurriness the ‘fog’ creates contributes to the dreamy quality of the work.  The text at the top left detailed the execution date and place of Tigers – another feature of Chinese ink paintings.  The pictorial innovation comes when Lee exploited painting techniques from the Western academic tradition such as introducing perspective to the background and enhancing the chiaroscuro of the tigers.  The use of perspective gives the painting an illusionistic depth, with the foreground portrayed in greater detail and the background slightly fainter in depiction, simulating one’s vision.  The fact that oil paints dry significantly slower than ink allowed time for Lee to trace the light and shade of the fur to the minutest detail.  Moreover, the ability of oil paints to build up a thick texture through multiple layers enabled Lee to create a fleecy, soft touch of the tigers’ furs.  All of these contribute to the vividness Lee strove to produce in his paintings.

With a successful combination of elements of Chinese paintings and Western academic tradition, Tigers reaffirms Lee’s position of pioneer in creating a new style that blends Eastern and Western influences.  Not only did Lee manage to create tigers that breathe with life, but have also captured their proud and elegant spirit.  Tigers – a true collector’s piece.