Lioness Seated and Three Cubs

Animals were a singular delight for Evert van Muyden, who often found himself at the zoo in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. He particularly loved the large cats and would watch their movements and activities for hours on end, then translate his observations into prints. In Lioness Seated and Three Cubs, the mother is the vigilant protector, but in other etchings van Muyden did not hesitate to show her attacking and devouring her prey. This Swiss printmaker shared more of his insights into animal behavior in the stop action poses he sketched at the top and bottom of this impression.