Twee studies van een luipaard 1821 - 1891

Here we see two studies of a leopard by Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen, sketched with delicate lines. The leopard, a symbol of power and ferocity, has long captured the human imagination. These depictions of repose evoke a creature of the ancient world, echoing the leopard's symbolic presence in mythologies across cultures. In ancient Greece, the leopard was associated with Dionysus, the god of wine, ecstasy, and theatre, representing untamed passions. We see echoes of this symbolism in later works, where the leopard embodies a raw, instinctual force. Consider its recurring appearance throughout history. In the Renaissance, the leopard was used as an allegorical figure, representing the sin of fraud in works such as Dante's Inferno. These subconscious associations linger, the leopard forever oscillates between depictions of predatory danger and symbolic representation of courage and strength.