Lion Snapping at a Butterfly 1889

Jean-Léon Gérôme's "Lion Snapping at a Butterfly" (1889), a work of animalistic realism, depicts a majestic lion lying in a dark, rocky landscape, its mouth agape in a fierce snap directed at a tiny butterfly. Gérôme masterfully contrasts the lion's imposing power with the fleeting fragility of the butterfly, creating a compelling study in the complex relationship between predator and prey. The painting is currently on display at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh.