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The Repast of the Lion
Artist:Henri Rousseau
| Support Type: | Canvas |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Location History: | The painting was first owned by Wilhelm Uhde in Paris, who bought it directly from Rousseau himself by July 1910 for 200 francs. He then sold it to Julius Keller, who had it in Aachen, Germany, by 1914. From there, it passed through the New York dealer Stephan Bourgeois around 1923. That same year, it was acquired by Adolph Lewisohn in New York, who owned it until his death in 1938. After Adolph’s death, it went to his son, Sam A. Lewisohn, who kept it until his own death in 1951 at which point it was bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum. |
Henri Rousseau’s The Repast of the Lion depicts a lion feeding on its prey in a dense, imagined jungle. The painting contrasts the violence of the predator-prey relationship with the lush, dreamlike beauty of the vegetation. Rousseau’s flattened space, detailed foliage, and stylised animals create an exotic, almost fantastical atmosphere. The work reflects his fascination with jungle imagery, which was inspired by botanical gardens, zoos, and visual sources rather than direct travel to tropical regions.
Information Compiled by
Asmita Kakati