Courtois voor koning Nobel 1866 - 1939

Bernard Willem Wierink made this drawing, Courtois voor koning Nobel, using pen and ink and watercolour on paper. I love how the earth tone colours and the slightly gothic lettering give the piece a medieval, illuminated manuscript feel. The image is dominated by the lion, Nobel, of the title, who looms above the smaller creatures. The paintwork in his fur is incredible. Look closely at how the artist has rendered the mane with these tiny, delicate strokes of warm and cool tones, creating depth and texture. The rest of the animals are outlined rather than shaded, giving them a different presence in the image. The lion’s placid expression is somewhat undermined by the presence of these slightly unsettling animals, and I find the drawing is not as calming as the earth tones might suggest. In some ways this piece reminds me of the work of the mystic artist, Hilma af Klint, someone else who combined text and image to reach new understandings of the world.