Ruiter door leeuw aangevallen (de profeet Bileam?)

About this artwork

pen in bruin en penseel in wit op blauw papier

Art Historical Context

This striking 17th-century drawing by Augustin Braun captures a moment of intense drama: a mounted rider fiercely attacked by a lion. The title suggests a possible biblical reference to the prophet Balaam, though the exact narrative remains open to interpretation. Rendered in brown pen with white brush highlights on blue paper, the work measures 370 by 265 millimeters and exemplifies the expressive power of draftsmanship during the Baroque period. Braun’s technique makes skillful use of the colored ground, allowing the white highlights to create luminous effects that heighten the sense of movement and tension. Such drawings on tinted paper were popular among Northern European artists for both preparatory studies and independent works, offering rich tonal contrasts without the need for full color. As a museum piece, the drawing invites viewers to appreciate how line and light convey narrative urgency. Its combination of dynamic composition and refined handling of materials reflects the artistic interests of the 1600s, when biblical and mythological subjects often served to explore themes of human vulnerability and divine will.