Leeuw, van achteren gezien 1587 - 1640

Peter Paul Reubens made this drawing of a lion from behind with pencil, sometime before 1640. The image speaks to the period's fascination with the natural world and the artist's own deep engagement with classical and Renaissance art. Rubens, who was active in the Southern Netherlands, now Belgium, made this drawing as a study for a larger composition. Lions, as symbols of power and majesty, were often included in paintings of historical or mythological scenes that would have served as emblems of authority for the patrons who commissioned them. Rubens would have studied live animals as well as classical sculptures in order to make his drawings. The drawing thus reflects not just the artist’s skill but also the intellectual environment of his time. Historical research into the artistic conventions of the Baroque era, as well as the patronage networks in which Rubens operated, help to provide a clearer picture of the drawing’s cultural significance.