Liggend dier, mogelijk een leeuw 1834 - 1911

This is Jozef Israëls' pencil drawing of a recumbent animal, possibly a lion, in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The sketch presents a composition of simple lines defining the animal's form. The use of delicate strokes suggests a creature at rest, observed with a sensitive eye. The artwork has a compelling structure; the lines create depth, and the animal's pose suggests an intimate, almost private moment. The composition prompts us to consider the relationship between line and form, and the semiotic interplay between what is shown and what is implied. Israëls' approach encourages viewers to look closely at how the representation is constructed, and to engage with the cultural coding that informs our understanding of the natural world. This piece destabilizes fixed notions, presenting a lion not as a symbol of power, but as a study in form and observation.