Lysimachus thrown into the Den of a Lion

Art Historical Context

This striking drawing by Edward Francis Burney captures a dramatic moment from ancient legend: the Macedonian general Lysimachus cast into a lion’s den. Created between 1790 and 1800, the small sheet (just 3 3/8 by 4 3/4 inches) uses pen and brown ink with gray wash to heighten the tension of the scene, with bold lines and subtle shading that bring out the contrast between the vulnerable human figure and the powerful beast. Burney, an English artist known for his illustrative work, often explored historical and literary subjects in this intimate format. The medium allows for expressive storytelling in a compact space, typical of late-eighteenth-century drawings meant for private study or as studies for larger prints and book illustrations. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this work was gifted by Spencer Bickerton in 1933 and remains a vivid example of how artists of the period revived classical tales to explore themes of courage, fate, and survival. Its delicate yet dynamic technique invites viewers to appreciate both the narrative intensity and the skillful handling of light and shadow on a miniature scale.

About the Artist

Edward Francis Burney · 1760–1848

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