Drie schetsen van een leeuw en een man met een mijter op 1640 - 1677

Curator: This drawing, created sometime between 1640 and 1677, is titled "Drie schetsen van een leeuw en een man met een mijter op", or "Three Sketches of a Lion and a Man with a Mitre." It’s attributed to Anthonie van Borssom. Editor: The immediacy of the piece strikes me; the sketched lines seem so full of movement, despite depicting rather still subjects, and create an engaging energy on the page. Curator: Borssom employed an economy of line. Observe how ink on paper achieves form. See the way the structural underpinnings reveal his construction, particularly in the rendering of the lions' manes, using the density of line to suggest volume and shadow. It allows for light. Editor: I'm curious about the power dynamics represented here. The inclusion of the man in a mitre alongside the regal lions seems like commentary on authority—religious versus natural, perhaps mirroring social hierarchies of the era? Curator: The juxtaposition invites such analysis. What strikes me more is the drawing’s exploration of pure form; its purpose to refine and analyze, as we may look at it as pure shapes and line-weight devoid of context. Even the texture implied in the cross-hatching feels more pertinent. Editor: While I appreciate the formal considerations, detaching art from its context feels incomplete. Who commissioned these drawings, and for what purpose? Was Borssom exploring themes of leadership or piety? The choice of a religious figure isn't arbitrary; there's undoubtedly a dialogue being suggested. Perhaps he was a book illustrator looking for inspiration. Curator: True, these lions command attention due to both technique and social association. Though it would take significant investigation to reach a complete vision of van Borssom's intent. Editor: Well, no artwork truly reveals its total complexity on first viewing. But that ambiguity allows its appeal across generations. Thank you for the structural insight. Curator: And thank you for adding the pertinent sociopolitical perspective. A true partnership.