Frontal and Profile Studies of a Lion's Head 1816 - 1879

This is William Rimmer’s pencil drawing, “Frontal and Profile Studies of a Lion’s Head,” currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rimmer was working in the mid-19th century, a period defined by rapid social change and the questioning of traditional hierarchies, which perhaps explains his choice of subject. Notice the lion, a conventional symbol of power and royalty. But consider Rimmer’s approach: he doesn't present a majestic, singular image. Instead, he offers studies, fragmented and exploratory, almost as if dissecting the very idea of authority. This lion is not idealized; it's an animal observed from multiple perspectives, stripped of its symbolic armor. Think about the implications of this choice. Is Rimmer, through his art, challenging the prevailing notions of power? Is he inviting us to question the narratives we inherit? Perhaps the emotional weight of this work lies in its quiet dismantling of established symbols, urging us to look beyond the surface and reconsider what we think we know.