Artwork
A Lion in a Landscape
A Lion in a Landscape is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
A Lion in a Landscape, attributed to the artist known as 2924_person, dates from around 1750. The work is an oil painting that resides in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. It presents a solitary lion moving across a dimly lit, uneven terrain, rendered with a focus on the animal’s physical presence.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a lion, depicted mid‑stride with its mouth open and teeth exposed, suggesting a moment of tension or alertness. The surrounding landscape is shadowy and barren, emphasizing the creature’s dominance within an austere environment.
Technique & Style
The composition relies on stark chiaroscuro, using deep shadows to define the lion’s bulk and highlights to bring out the texture of its mane and fur. The ground is rendered with rough, irregular brushwork, reinforcing the rugged atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1750, the painting entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date. Its attribution to 2924_person remains based on stylistic analysis rather than documented signatures.
Context
Mid‑eighteenth‑century European art often employed exotic wildlife as symbols of power or the natural world’s untamed aspects. This work aligns with that tradition, using the lion as a focal point to explore light, form, and the interplay between animal and landscape.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
