Tigers that roamed through the art world, a fierce legacy

Tipu’s Tiger, one of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s most famous objects, is an almost life-sized wooden semi-automaton tiger, mauling a man lying on his back. Photo: Victoria and Albert Museum

The majestic tiger is revered by many cultures for its beauty, prowess, ferocity and spirit. As a creature with many symbolic attributes, it has inspired imagination, paintings and stories all over the world.

In China, legend has it that tigers turn white after living for five centuries, and that a white tiger would appear only if an emperor were to rule with absolute virtue.