1895
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The British Lion is a 1895 ink by August Gaul, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a big lion balancing a globe on its nose. In the background, a small dog watches, and the whole scene is drawn in loose, sketchy lines. The lion’s muscles look tense, and the globe sits high above its head. The title at the bottom, *Der britische Leu* (German for "The British Lion"), hints this is a playful jab at power—using animals to stand in for countries. The artist’s quick, sketchy style makes it feel lively and a little silly. Want to see more? Check out lithography to learn how artists like Gaul made prints like this.
August Gaul (German: ; October 22, 1869 – October 18, 1922) was a German sculptor and expressionism artist, born in Großauheim (now part of Hanau).
See the richer artist page
