Lion c. 1626

Cornelis Saftleven made this drawing of a lion with pen and brush in the 17th century, rendering its form through strokes of ink and watercolor washes. The artist wasn't aiming for photorealism. Instead, he was interested in the lion's essence, its character. You can see how the pen lines create a sense of the animal's shaggy mane and powerful musculature. The application of brown and pink watercolor gives the lion a lifelike quality, as if it's about to pounce off the page. The slight awkwardness of the figure, and the hint of a smirk, add to the animal's personality. Saftleven likely never saw a lion in the flesh. These images of exotic animals would have been based on second-hand descriptions or perhaps other artists' interpretations. But what he lacked in firsthand knowledge, he made up for in imagination and skillful use of his materials. The image reminds us that artmaking is always a process of translation, of turning ideas into tangible form.