Studie van handen en een leeuwin (?) before 1917

Matthijs Maris made this study of hands and a lioness, with what looks like pencil on paper. Looking at these soft, blurred lines, I imagine Maris- maybe in a zoo somewhere- quickly trying to capture the weight and form of this animal and maybe thinking about how he wants to paint it later. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the paper, trying to bring the lioness to life with just a few strokes. It reminds me of sketches by Delacroix of animals. There's a tenderness in the way the artist captures the curve of the lioness’ back. It's like he's not just drawing what he sees but also trying to understand something about its inner life, its quiet power. It’s a reminder that artists build on each other's work, sharing a language that evolves over time. And that even a quick sketch can carry deep meaning.