Penn State Nittany Lions College Football Illustration c. 1990

Editor: This is Jack Davis’ “Penn State Nittany Lions College Football Illustration,” created around 1990 using ink and drawing techniques. It's bursting with ferocious energy! The cartoonish lion in football gear is a striking image. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: What a delightfully ferocious fellow! I think Davis really captures the almost comical intensity of college sports, doesn’t he? Beyond the obvious visual impact, I’m struck by the bold lines. He's fearless with them! Look at the rendering of the paws...they almost burst out of the image and remind us of what is wild in human competitive sports. Doesn't the image practically roar at you? Editor: It does! I didn't think about that primal aspect before. Is the exaggerated style typical for this kind of sports illustration at the time? Curator: Absolutely. Think about the cultural context of the late 20th century and the growing saturation of American life with comics and televised sports. Caricature allows for a certain type of immediate, humorous, and yet culturally cutting, perspective. Is this lion endearing? Or is there something sinister? Davis seems to ride that knife-edge. What do you think? Editor: That's a cool question, actually it has aspects of both. It feels more complex than just a simple cartoon. It is unsettling and humorous at the same time. Curator: Exactly. It gets to the core, primal appeal of sport. The exaggerated nature is what really defines its effect, a cultural artefact that is spot on! Editor: I hadn’t considered all the layers before! It’s more than just a mascot; it's a wild creature barely contained by the uniform. Curator: Agreed! It's the art of controlled frenzy, both on the field and on the page.