Leeuw met ranken 1770 - 1780

Editor: So, here we have "Lion with Tendrils," a drawing in ink from somewhere between 1770 and 1780, artist unknown. It strikes me as rather ornamental, almost like a furniture design. What jumps out at you? Curator: Ornament, yes, but with a roar, wouldn't you say? Imagine that lion, that posture, transposed onto a garden gate – suddenly you have power contained, tamed. What does containing power make you think about? I imagine gilded cages, societal constraints and the decorative…hiding the beast within. Is that beast still wild and dangerous even when “framed”? Or it is diminished? Editor: That’s a very vivid image! So you're seeing this more as a comment on society's control, not just pure decoration? Curator: Well, isn't all decoration commentary of a kind? This baroque exuberance, these swirling tendrils *around* the lion – do they protect, confine, or even mock it? Is this anonymous artist presenting us with a design, or a dilemma? And those almost casual strokes… do you think that it means something in terms of symbolism? Editor: That makes me wonder about the original purpose. Was it a sketch for something larger, or a statement in itself? The anonymity is also so interesting – makes me wonder who this artist was, what context shaped his message, his vision. Curator: Precisely! And in its unknowable origin lies its lasting allure, no? It invites endless speculation, reflections on power and appearances, beasts, cages… I might spend an eternity musing! Editor: Well, I am thankful for this new perspective. Thank you so much for taking a moment with me to ponder this drawing.