Fatally wounded tiger

This painting depicts a wounded tiger in the midst of agony, its body twisted in an outburst of force and desperation. Streams of red emerge from its injuries, flowing in sinuous curves that echo the movement and aesthetic of the kyūbi, a mythological creature from Japanese folklore.
The kyūbi no kitsune, or nine-tailed fox, is a recurring figure in both Japanese and Chinese mythology. It is a fox spirit that gains additional tails over time, accumulating wisdom, power, or malevolence until it reaches its most advanced form with nine tails. These beings are often attributed magical abilities such as shapeshifting, fire control, or mind manipulation. In some stories, they act as guardians or benevolent spirits; in others, they symbolize deception and destruction. The painting suggests a symbolic link between the tiger and this spiritual force that inhabits the wild, the wounded, and the transformative.
 
30 x 40 cm
óleo sobre lino
2025