An Elegantly Dressed Woman Struggling with a Lion 1780 - 1785

Francesco Guardi made this pen and brown ink drawing on blue paper, titled *An Elegantly Dressed Woman Struggling with a Lion,* sometime in the 18th century in Venice. At this time, Venice was declining as a mercantile power, but it was flourishing as a site of pleasure and entertainment for Europe’s elites. Carnival, the opera, and the ridotto, or gambling house, were popular attractions, and Guardi’s paintings often depict the theatricality of Venetian life. Here, the artist gives us a curious scene. Is it a representation of the biblical story of Daniel, or perhaps a more contemporary allegory? To understand this drawing better, we can look to sources from the period – literature, fashion plates, popular entertainments, and the artist’s other works – for clues about its meaning. What is clear is that Guardi was an astute observer, capturing the spirit of his changing city.