The Sick Lion Summons the Animals to His Bedside from the Sick Lion blockbook, 2nd edition 1445 - 1485

This is a page from “The Sick Lion Summons the Animals to His Bedside,” a blockbook created by an anonymous artist. The print presents a medieval fable, reflecting a hierarchical society in which illness and death serve as great levelers. Here, the lion king lies in bed, surrounded by an assembly of animals; a dog sits at the foot of the bed, with a horse, bull, and wolf looming behind. Text unfurls around the image, underscoring the lion's dire proclamation that only a remedy of wolf’s skin can cure him. While appearing benign on the surface, the image conveys a complex interplay of power and vulnerability. Each animal present is subject to the king, and is implicated in the king's ability to recover. The animal's varied responses reflect different ways of being in relationship to power, some are docile, and others are waiting for their opportunity to usurp him. Ultimately, the blockbook invites viewers to consider the instability of power, and the ways that illness and mortality disrupt conventional hierarchies.