Landschap met leeuw 1729

This is Bernard Picart’s ‘Landschap met leeuw’, or Landscape with Lion, made with etching sometime between 1673 and 1733. The image offers a study of a lion set against a minimalist landscape. What strikes one immediately is how Picart uses line and form to create a sense of volume and texture. Through the etching technique, the lines build up to give the lion a palpable weight and presence. Notice how the density of the lines around the mane and the musculature of the body contrasts with the sparse background. The composition is stark, focusing solely on the animal, allowing for a deeper engagement with its form. The lion’s gaze is directed straight at the viewer, creating a connection that is both imposing and intimate. By isolating the lion in this manner, Picart invites us to consider the creature not just as an element of a landscape, but as a subject worthy of individual contemplation. It’s this interplay between the formal elements and the subject matter that gives the piece its enduring appeal, offering a space for ongoing dialogue about how we perceive and represent the natural world.