Kop van een leeuw 1848 - 1884

August Allebé captured this image of a lion's head using a pencil on paper. The drawing is dominated by a play of light and shadow. The lion's face emerges from the darkness, sketched with sharp, precise lines that define its form. Allebé uses the pencil to create a clear contrast. The dark, shaded background throws the lion's features into stark relief. The lines are more than representational; they convey the texture of the fur and bone, the weight and mass of the animal's head. This interplay destabilizes our perception. The lion is present, yet somewhat dissolved into the shadows, questioning the boundaries between form and void, presence and absence. The drawing engages with semiotic codes, using light and shadow to evoke the wild nature of the lion and how we perceive it. The emphasis on line and shadow reflects broader artistic concerns about the nature of representation and the power of suggestion. It’s a powerful, evocative work that continues to invite interpretation and reflection.