Twee liggende leeuwen 1729

Bernard Picart’s etching captures two lions in repose. One sleeps soundly, while the other remains alert, a chain about its neck. Lions, historically symbols of power and courage, have been revered since antiquity. Consider the Lion Gate at Mycenae; these ancient guardians embody strength and protection. Yet, here, one lion is chained, its might subdued. This motif echoes through time – from the chained beast in medieval bestiaries symbolizing base instincts controlled by reason, to modern interpretations questioning authority. The sleeping lion, vulnerable, taps into our subconscious anxieties about loss of control. Meanwhile, the chained lion, though alert, represents the subjugation of natural instincts, evoking a sense of repressed power. Picart’s lions invite contemplation on the cyclical nature of power, freedom, and the taming of the wild spirit, a theme endlessly revisited in the human drama.