Two Lions Resting - Ferdinand-Victor-Eugène Delacroix
Archival giclée
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Description
A detailed study of two lions at rest, rendered in watercolour and gouache by the French Romantic master, Eugène Delacroix.
Ferdinand-Victor-Eugène Delacroix possessed a lifelong fascination with big cats, often visiting the Jardin des Plantes in Paris to observe them at close quarters. This study captures two lions in a moment of repose, set against a rugged, rocky backdrop that suggests a natural habitat rather than a menagerie. The artist employs a combination of watercolour and gouache to render the texture of the lions' manes and the muscularity of their forms.
One lion faces the viewer directly, its gaze alert and steady, while the second rests with its head tucked down, providing a contrast in posture and mood. The palette remains grounded in earthy tones: ochre, sienna, and muted greens, which unify the animals with the surrounding terrain. Delacroix uses light to model the volumes of the lions, creating a sense of weight and physical presence. The rocky gorge behind them is painted with looser, more atmospheric brushwork, which pushes the background away and keeps the focus on the animals.
This work reflects the artist's technical skill in handling water-based media to achieve both precision and softness. Unlike his larger, more dramatic oil compositions, this piece offers a quiet observation of animal behaviour. It demonstrates his ability to translate direct observation into a composed image, balancing anatomical accuracy with a painterly approach to light and shadow. The composition is stable, anchored by the horizontal arrangement of the two figures, which creates a sense of calm. This print captures the subtle gradations of the original paper, preserving the delicate washes and the opaque highlights that define the lions' features.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Two Lions Resting - Ferdinand-Victor-Eugène Delacroix
Artist Biography
Eugene Delacroix
He was born in Charenton-Saint-Maurice, near Paris. His legal father was a diplomat. His biological father may have been Talleyrand, the foreign minister, which would explain several things about his career including his early access to government commissions. He studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts under Pierre-Narcisse Guerin and was influenced by Gericault's The Raft of the Medusa, which showed him that contemporary events could be painted at the scale previously reserved for mythology.
His brushwork was loose and fast by the standards of the Academy. He preferred colour to line, which put him in direct opposition to Ingres, the master of precise contour. The rivalry between Delacroix and Ingres, colour versus drawing, became the central argument of French painting in the mid-nineteenth century. Delacroix won in the long run: the Impressionists claimed him, the Fauves revered him, and Cezanne called him the starting point of modern painting.
He travelled to Morocco in 1832 and came back with notebooks full of colour studies that influenced the rest of his career. The North African light loosened his palette permanently. He died in 1863, at sixty-five, and left a journal that is one of the most intelligent accounts of painting ever written.
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