Princesse de Babylone

This lithograph is part of a series illustrating The Princess of Babylon, a story by the enlightenment philosopher, Voltaire. In the story, suitors of the princess must defeat the lion in order to prove their worthiness to her father, the king. The lion as a symbol of strength and dominance is not unique to this story, of course. Often revered as “king of the jungle”, the lion’s prowess and regality is a symbol utilized in art and literature around the world. A renowned expressionist painter in the early twentieth century, Kees van Dongen is perhaps best known for his vivid portraiture work. However, he was drawn to exotic subjects and emotionally-intense imagery—both clearly evident in this dramatic depiction of a charging lion. Acquired as part of the James Smith Pierce Collection. Included in Fables, Insults, and Reverence: The Animals of UND Art Collections Exhibition at the UND Art Collections Gallery in the Empire Arts Centerhttps://commons.und.edu/jsp-artwork/1217/thumbnail.jp