Tiger Lily No 2

The second in Sugiura Kazutoshi's tiger lily series turns his signature layered printmaking technique toward a flower whose spotted petals and dramatically recurved form pose distinct challenges from the irises and peonies that dominate his output. The tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium, known in Japan as oni-yuri) has a boldness of pattern — dark spots against vivid orange — that suits Sugiura's approach of building up multiple print layers to create chromatic depth. The title's "Animals" tag may reflect the tiger association embedded in the flower's common name rather than any literal animal content.