Lady Or Tiger
18" x 24" (25" x 31" framed)
Oil on panel
$7,000

The title for this piece is taken from a story by Frank Stockton about a king and his daughter. The story is told by a balladeer, who says, "I'll Tell You a Truth" about love and jealousy. The king had a unique manner for justice, which was carried out by putting the suspect of his kingdom into the arena where they would find themselves faced with two doors. The king would provide the accused with his choice of fate; one door leads to a beautiful woman -if the prisoner chooses that door, he is innocent and is required to marry the woman. Behind the other door is a ravenous tiger. If the prisoner chooses that door, he is deemed guilty and the tiger will kill him. Knowing this, the daughter and a man below her status engaged in a tryst, which ultimately had the ill luck to come under the notice of the king. The lover was imprisoned and his punishment was to face the two doors. Behind the first door was a maiden that the king's daughter chose her beauty and should her lover choose this door, this maiden would be his bride. Behind the second door, there was a tiger. When the peasant entered the arena, he looked into the seats around the arena for the eyes of the princess who could tell him which door to choose. So did she tell him the answer that would let him live or did she tell him the only answer that would permit her to keep him all for herself? Featured in this painting is the Steampunk socialite and creator of "Dances of Vice," Miss Shien Lee.