Dimensions: support: 135 x 182 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: So, this is John Flaxman's drawing of "The Lion at Exeter Change." It's a delicate pencil sketch, and I’m curious about its purpose. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, think about the lion as a symbol, often representing power and control. Now, consider Exeter Change, a menagerie in London. How might this drawing, and the act of observing this captive animal, reflect broader social attitudes toward colonialism and the subjugation of the natural world? Editor: That’s fascinating. So, it's not just a lion, but a statement about power? I never thought of it that way. Curator: Precisely. And it invites us to question the ethics of display and domination inherent in institutions like the menagerie.