Lion holds private audience with Reynard c. 17th century

Editor: This is Allart van Everdingen's "Lion holds private audience with Reynard," a small etching. It feels almost like a fable. What do you see in this piece, from a symbolic perspective? Curator: Note how the lion, traditionally a symbol of royalty and strength, is juxtaposed with Reynard, the fox. The image evokes a medieval bestiary, rich in allegory. What stories come to mind when you see this pairing? Editor: Definitely tales of cunning and power dynamics. Maybe corruption. Curator: Precisely. The fox often embodies trickery. This image reminds us that those in power are often influenced by those who are not forthright. Editor: I never considered how powerfully animals could convey human conditions, even today. Curator: Visual symbols carry echoes of cultural memory, don't they? They remind us that certain archetypes persist through time.