King of the Realm - Lion by Robert Bateman

King of the Realm by Robert Bateman

  

"Usually in my painting I try to show wildlife in action or blending in some less obvious way with its environment, but I had a purpose in doing this posed male lion. The purpose was to show the dignity and majesty of the animal in an obvious way. The original painting was done for the Queen's Jubilee Exhibition at the Tyron Gallery in London. I felt that it was appropriate to show the 'King of the Beasts' in a kingly manner for this occasion.

"This painting is a composite of many of the noble lions I have seen, showing the 'king' in the maturity of his rule. He is ruler of his pride and ruler of many square miles of hunting territory. His resting place is high in a granite outcrop, a protrusion of ancient Africa which rises above the game-filled plains. This is his realm" - Robert Bateman.

 

Print released 1979