Leeuw in een dierentuin in Londen c. 1879

Thomas James Dixon captured this majestic lion in a London zoo with his camera. The lion, historically a symbol of power, courage, and royalty, dominates this image. Consider how, from ancient Egypt with the Sphinx to the biblical stories of Daniel, the lion has represented both divine strength and untamed ferocity. In Dixon's photograph, the lion's relaxed posture challenges its traditional symbolic role. Here, the king of beasts is confined, stripped of his power, a stark contrast to the lion's rampant presence we see in heraldry or mythology. The lion evokes a primal fear and respect, yet in this domesticated setting, it reflects a psychological tension. It taps into our collective memory, stirring subconscious feelings about freedom, captivity, and the loss of primal power. It embodies the cyclical nature of symbols, as it evolves, adapts, and acquires new layers of meaning.