Twee leeuwen c. 1650 - 1690

Peter Paul Rubens created this red chalk drawing of two lions. The composition is dominated by the sinuous lines defining the lions’ forms. The visual tension comes from one lion roaring while the other remains stoic. Rubens masterfully employs line and texture, building up layers of hatching to create a sense of depth and volume. The contrasting emotions captured—aggression versus passivity—invite a semiotic interpretation. Lions, often symbols of power, are here depicted in conflicting states, challenging simple associations of strength and dominance. This tension destabilizes traditional symbolic meanings. The artwork's enduring quality resides in Rubens' capacity to explore emotional and symbolic complexity through the simple medium of red chalk, encouraging us to look beyond the surface and delve into the nuanced layers of meaning.