Fabel van de zieke leeuw en de vos 1758

This etching, "Fable of the sick lion and the fox," was created by Johann Heinrich Meil the elder in the 18th or 19th century. It presents a landscape dominated by sharply contrasting lines that define form and texture. The composition is structured around a diagonal axis, from the lion at the top left to the fox in the lower right, creating a dynamic visual movement. The artist uses line and shading to create a sense of depth. The lion, lying in the cave, appears weak and still, while the fox seems to be in an attitude of alert, quick movement. The texture of the rocks, trees, and even the animals' fur is meticulously rendered through fine, dense lines. In the semiotic system of the fable, the characters are signs, where the lion represents power and the fox represents cunning. The artist used the formal qualities of the etching—line, texture, and composition—to reinforce the fable's narrative. This image questions fixed hierarchical meanings by showing how the traditional power of the lion can be undermined by the fox's wit.