Oil on canvas,
2013
40x60 cm
Nowadays lions are seen mostly as symbols of nobility, in part
because of Christian symbolism and part because of cartoons, but in
older popular tales they were often symbols of sheer arrogance. Not
because people hated lions (most people from ancient Europe
would never see one in their entire life) but rather because that's how
the common people who passed down fables perceived power: most kings and
powerful people were selfish tyrants in their eyes, so the "king of
animals" obviously had to be like that too. I wanted to convey that
flavour. Think of fables like "The lion's share" - this is one king
you don't want to displease.