Six Lions in Various Poses
Original title: Six Lions in Various Poses
kurzbeschreibung
In 1646 Wenceslaus Hollar etched six lions in a range of poses. The design survives as a single print in its only state, with a plate measuring 14 × 20.6 cm.
Description
Two lions occupy the front left, one with its tongue thrust out as if about to roar. At the middle a beast lies flat on all fours, gazing back at the viewer. Toward the back right, two more have settled down, one with its head lowered and the other with head raised. A sixth lion rests in the upper right corner.
Context
Hollar, born in 1607 and dead in 1677, was a Bohemian draughtsman and etcher who moved through several European cities during the Thirty Years' War. This sheet dates from 1646, his time in Antwerp. Lions then lived in the menageries of European courts and served artists as study subjects.
Impact
Precise linework and clear shading give the sheet a calm, watchful presence. The animals' shifting postures produce liveliness and a sense of nature observed, without any dramatic heightening.
Technique
Executed as an etching in a single state. Fine lines and hatching build the lions' bodies and create sculptural effects of light and shadow on the monochrome print.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)