Lion 

Curator: Well, hello there, my friend! And, wow, I'm looking at this sketchy lion and instantly I think, 'He needs a nap.' It has that drowsy energy you get when the afternoon sun just hits you right. What are your thoughts? Editor: Indeed. We’re looking at an ink drawing, simply titled "Lion," by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, known for his socially conscious art and illustrations. It seems to me a very rapid study, perhaps for a larger work, or done just for pleasure. Curator: I can almost feel the ink still wet on the paper. It looks spontaneous, free-flowing... like he captured the essence of this big cat with just a few strokes. You almost get that this is how an idea for a cat springs into your head... it's just a sense, and then *BAM* it's there! Editor: What strikes me is how even in its unfinished state, this drawing speaks volumes about power dynamics. Lions are, of course, potent symbols of strength and authority, historically employed by institutions seeking to legitimize their control, think coats of arms, heraldry. Curator: Interesting... I wouldn’t say “control” so much as a "lived understanding". Like he sees this beast, not just as muscle and roar, but like he is a king. It reminds me of something Rilke once said, you know " I want to unfold. I don't want to stay folded anywhere, because where I am folded, there I am a lie." So to stay powerfull means staying real, keeping an intuitive sense of unfolding to one's self... a self portrait is really just an excuse. Editor: While that’s a beautifully poetic sentiment, in practice the lion as symbol frequently supports hierarchical structures. Steinlen, I think, understands this duality perfectly. His art frequently touches on how institutions influence society, so in drawing from these classical symbols in such an intimate and almost slap-dash way...he might be showing how deeply intermixed our "beastly nature" is into how we act on one another every day! Curator: So even a quick doodle on a piece of paper can contain worlds! Editor: Precisely, art acts a reflection of how symbols permeate everyday discourse, shaping perceptions of control and individual expression, even in what appears to be something as ephemeral as a drawing on paper. Curator: You've opened up the symbolic and the systemic in a glance, my friend! Always such an honor and inspiration to spend an afternoon!