The artwork titled “The Lion and the Basin at Jas de Bouffan” was created by the artist Paul Cézanne in 1866. It is an oil on canvas painting belonging to the Romanticism movement. This landscape genre painting is part of the collection at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France.
In the artwork, we observe a dimly lit nocturnal scene dominated by earthy and dark tones that depict a sense of the mysterious or sublime, a characteristic often associated with Romanticism. The composition presents a lion statue centered around a water basin, situated in the midst of a lush garden. The lion seems frozen mid-movement, its form rendered with a sculptural solidity that contrasts with the surrounding fluidity of nature. Noteworthy are the vigorous brushstrokes that define the textures of the vegetation and the lion, as well as the interplay of light and shadow, underscoring the Romantic concern with dynamic contrasts and emotive scenery. The presence of the lion, an emblem of power and majesty, imbues the scene with a feeling of nobility, albeit enveloped by a tranquil, verdant setting. The surface of the water captures reflections and small ripples, adding to the overall atmosphere of natural serenity and contemplative repose.
