Artwork
Sleeping lion at night
Sleeping lion at night is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist John Macallan Swan. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a lion lying asleep in a twilight rural setting, as indicated by the title and the description of a lion, sleep, night, twilight, and lying posture. This nocturnal animal scene presents the lion, a traditional emblem of strength and majesty, in a state of repose, suggesting a contrast between its inherent power and the peaceful vulnerability of sleep. By placing the creature in a quiet, dim landscape, the work conveys a sense of tranquility and the subdued, contemplative aspect of nature, highlighting the harmony between wildlife and the calm of night.
Technique & Style
Stylistically, the piece belongs to Swan's animal-art oeuvre, presenting a realistic yet tranquil study of a sleeping lion set within a rural night scene.
The work is an oil painting on canvas, executed by John Macallan Swan in 1896. Swan rendered the lion with careful attention to form and light, capturing the animal's relaxed form against a twilight landscape. The support is a plain woven canvas, and the medium consists of traditional oil pigments, allowing subtle gradations of light and shadow to convey the nocturnal atmosphere.
Stylistically, the piece belongs to Swan's animal-art oeuvre, presenting a realistic yet tranquil study of a sleeping lion set within a rural night scene.
History & Provenance
John Macallan Swan's 1896 oil painting, Sleeping lion at night, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work, which depicts a lion sleeping at twilight, is cataloged within the museum's holdings of animal art. Specific inventory or accession numbers are not provided in the available records, though the piece is identified by its creation date and medium of oil on canvas.
The painting measures 22.8 cm in height and 40.6 cm in width. No exhibition history or details regarding previous owners are documented in the provided sources.
Overview
John Macallan Swan's oil painting, "Sleeping Lion at Night," created in 1896, captures a majestic feline resting within a nocturnal landscape. This work exemplifies the artist's focus on animal subjects, rendered with a particular emphasis on atmosphere and naturalistic detail. The canvas is part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum.
Artist & collection
