A Tiger Entered the Orchard ... by Maria Prymachenko - 1994 - 61.2 х 86 cm Museum of Modern Art in Warsawnameprivate collection A Tiger Entered the Orchard ... by Maria Prymachenko - 1994 - 61.2 х 86 cm Museum of Modern Art in Warsawnameprivate collection

A Tiger Entered the Orchard ...

Gouache on paper • 61.2 х 86 cm
  • Maria Prymachenko - 12 January 1909 - 18 August 1997 Maria Prymachenko 1994

Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko (1909–1997) used imagination in her compositions to capture universal truths affecting reality and man's fate.

The full title of this painting is: A tiger entered the orchard and is delighted that the apple trees have borne fruit, apples are plentiful. A garden or an orchard is strongly present in the painter's works as symbols of happy places and of nature, which harmoniously coexists with man and bestow its abundance on everyone. We can see how the daily toil of men combines with the life-giving power of nature and allows its rebirth. There are also times when danger intrudes. In Prymachenko's art, the tiger is a symbol that can harmonize with the mysterious, fanciful, and wild. As in a fairy tale, humanized beasts and beastly people appear in her works as allegories of virtues and vices. This does not exclude the sense of humor and irony contained in the artist's depictions, however, as well as a strong belief that art can show the world as it should be. 

This marvelous painting inspired the title of the exhibition Tiger in the Garden. The Art of Maria Prymachenko that is opening today at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. If you're in Warsaw, don't miss it!  :)

P.S. Explore the unique world of Maria Prymachenko's art. Aren't these creatures amazing? For more Ukrainian folk art, see the articles below!