"Lion Kid 4"

The lion (Panthera leo) develops a play instinct very early that prefigures the hunting behaviours of the adult. From the first weeks, cubs run, leap, charge — mock charges that already resemble attacks. The dark spots on the forehead will disappear with age; the determination of the gaze will not.

The cub is caught in a full frontal charge — running towards the viewer with all paws raised, its gaze planted straight in the eyes. The slightly low angle makes it appear visually larger and renders it at once endearing and menacing. It is this double register that makes the subject: the charge of the predator in its purest state, miniaturised into a few centimetres of golden fur. The warm halo background isolates the silhouette; the grasses sketched at the bottom of the image briefly anchor the movement in a space.