Tsavo Lion
1837
Charles Hamilton Smith sketched this striking profile of a lion in 1837, capturing the animal's powerful stance with delicate pencil strokes and subtle washes of color. Notice the surprisingly sparse mane—a hallmark of the famous Tsavo lions from Kenya, which are known for being nearly maneless. The faint grid lines visible on the paper suggest this was a careful scientific study, likely intended for a natural history publication rather than a gallery wall. It's a fascinating glimpse into how early naturalists documented the wild world before the invention of photography!
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