A Sleeping Leopard 1791

George Stubbs etched this image of 'A Sleeping Leopard' in 1772, an image filled with layers of symbolism. The leopard, curled in repose, carries the weight of centuries. In antiquity, felines were symbols of power, divinity, and protection, often associated with royalty and strength. Think of the ancient Egyptian goddess, Sekhmet, a fierce protector depicted with the head of a lioness. We can see the vestiges of that ancient power here, albeit softened by slumber. Yet, the very act of sleep introduces a contrasting theme. The sleeping figure—a motif that recurs across cultures, from the slumbering Ariadne of ancient myth to countless depictions of sleeping children—speaks to vulnerability, a surrender to the subconscious. Here, the leopard's vulnerability is particularly striking. The animal is no longer an aggressive predator but a symbol of both latent power and current passivity. In its tranquility, we are invited to reflect on the duality inherent in existence, the tension between strength and fragility.