here are many kinds of animals.
Whether they are large or small, wild
or tame, or spotted or striped, animals
play an important role in our lives.
Storytellers use animals as characters
in their stories and artists show animals
in their artwork. Sometimes animals
are used to suggest human traits. For
example, lions are courageous, turtles
move slowly, and elephants have good
memories. Some animals bring good
luck, while others offer protection or help
us in times of need.
Chinese, Han Dynasty, 206 BC-220 AD, Prancing
Horse. Museum purchase with funds from the
Founders Society and Collection Endowment,
2002.14
There are many animals in the artwork at
the Flint Institute of Arts. Some of them
are based on real animals while others are imaginary.
The horse above is from China. It’s around 2,000 years
old. Notice how lively and alert it looks. The type of
horse shown in this sculpture was raised in Ferghana
in Central Asia (present day Afghanistan). Ferghana
horses are strong and sturdy, perfect for soldiers to
ride when fighting invaders. In China they came to
be known as “heavenly horses” because the Chinese
believed the Ferghana horse could take people to
the Gates of Heaven after they died. It’s probably
no surprise, then, that this sculpture was found in a
wealthy person’s tomb.
Flint Institute of arts
1120 E. Kearsley Street • Flint, MI 48503 • 810.237.7314 • http://web.mac.com/flintartsed
Vol. 2 , No. 4 • December 2007
Animals
T
Americas. Whether they are real
or imaginary, one thing is certain,
they have fascinated people
throughout the centuries.
Japanese, Meiji Period, 1868-1912, Badger on a
Mokogyu, late 19th century. Gift of Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Soldari, 1981.91
According to Japanese legend, the
badger has special powers that
let him change into a peasant, a
pretty girl, or a priest. He loves to
play tricks on people for fun.
For the most part, Asian dragons
are considered friendly. Many
ancient Asians believed that along
with the unicorn, phoenix, and
tortoise, the dragon helped create
the world. In fact, the Emperor
of China was supposed to have
descended from a dragon and to
have dragons working for him. For
the Chinese, dragons symbolize
power and they are thought to be
very wise.
Japanese, Meiji Period, Lion Dog, 19th or 20th
century. Gift of F. Karel Weist, 1981.30
While badgers and Ferghana
horses are real, no one is really
sure if dragons are. They have
been around —at least in our
imaginations — for a long time.
Over the years, dragons have
appeared in many cultures from
Asia to the Middle East and from
Africa to Western Europe and the
This lion dog was made in Japan.
It’s a guardian figure and would
have been used to frighten away
evil spirits.
Japanese, Taisho Period, 1912-25, Vase: Dragon, late
c. 1920-30. Gift of Dr. & Mrs. Leo S. Figiel and Dr. &
Mrs. Steven Figiel, 1983.6
Chinese, Qing Dynasty, Vase, late 18th-early
19th century. Gift of Justice and Mrs. G. Mennen
Williams, 1970.100
monster ran away with his tail
between his legs, but vowed to
return. Years later he did, while
the lion was away protecting the
Emperor’s palace. The people
had to think quickly. They made a
lion dog and chased the monster
away!
The lion dog is a fierce protector.
As the story goes, once upon a
time a people-eating monster
named Nien terrorized villages
in China. The people asked the
tiger and the fox for help, but
they couldn’t defeat the monster.
Finally, they asked the lion to
protect them. He shook his mane
and rushed forward, wounding
the monster with his claws. The
The Asian collection isn’t the
only place you’ll find animals at
the Flint Institute of Arts. Our
American folk art collection
has a wonderful painting of six
birds perched in a tree. We think
Thomas Coke Ruckle made the
painting in 1842. The painting
includes, from top to bottom, a
humming bird, cardinal, Baltimore
oriole, robin, flicker and bluebird.
Another American artist, Willie
Cole, sees himself as an “urban
archaeologist,” since he uses
items found in his home and
or medicines that give the mask
added strength. However, the
mask can only be effective if it is
worn on the head like a helmet,
with a costume of cotton fabric,
and danced to music at a special
ceremony. When the mask is used
in this way it scares away harmful
spirits like monsters or wild
animals and helps keep people
safe.
Attributed to Thomas Coke Ruckle (American, b.
Ireland, c. 1775-1873), Humming Bird, Red Bird,
Baltimore Bird, Robbin, Flicker, Blue Bird, 1842. Gift
of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch,
1981.3
neighborhood to make art. His
Magna Tji Wara sculpture is
made from an old bicycle. It is
based on the tji wara mask of
the Bamana people of Mali, West
Africa. The mask honors Tji Wara,
a mythological antelope who
taught the Bamana people how
to grow crops. In Africa, the mask
is worn along with a costume of
cloth and raffia (dried palm leaves)
at festivals at the beginning and
end of the planting season. Willie
Cole’s sculpture pays tribute to
the artist’s African roots and uses
bicycle parts in a playful way.
The mask on the far right is very
powerful. It comes from the
Republic of the Ivory Coast in
Africa. It combines the features
of fierce animals such as the
crocodile, water buffalo, and
warthog. The cup between the
ears holds magical substances
Willie Cole, American,
b. 1955, Magna Tji
Wara, 2006. Museum
purchase, 2007.5
Tji wara (or chiwara) masks being worn at an
African festival.
ARTreach is funded by a grant from the
Ruth Mott Foundation
Senufo, Africa, Republic of Ivory Coast, Helmet
Mask, Poro Society, 20th century. Gift of Justice
and Mrs. G. Mennen Williams, 1973.9
The mask above has the features of many
powerful animals including the ones pictured
below: water buffalo, crocodile, duiker, and
warthog.
On Your Own
According to Wang Fu, who lived in the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the Chinese dragon has a distinct
appearance: a camel’s head, cow’s ears, stag’s antlers, snake’s neck, clam’s belly, and tiger’s feet with eagle’s
claws. The male dragon has a large pearl under its chin that stands for power and wisdom. Chinese dragons
have 5 toes. it is said that when a dragon travels to the East it loses toes, so Korean dragons have 4 toes and
Japanese dragons have 3. In the space below, draw your own version of a dragon.