The Lyon and the Kid, from Ogilby's Aesopics
Gaywood based his etching on a drawing by Francis Barlow (see 54.645.1), England's first native book illustrator remembered for his accomplished depictions of animals and birds. Many of the latter illustrated fables, and this example comes from a group published by John Ogilby. The fable tells how a humble goat wisely chose to remain safely on a hill, resisting the enticements of a kingly lion who secretly wishes to eat him. The print was published at the end of a tumultuous decade that saw the dissolution of Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate, restoration of Charles II to the throne, succession of his brother James II and, finally, the latter's ouster by the Dutch-born William III and his wife Mary II. The moral of the fable asserts that it is: "Better be Captain in the smallest Fort, Than be commanded in a Princes Court."
Artwork Details
- Title: The Lyon and the Kid, from Ogilby's Aesopics
- Artist: After Francis Barlow (British, Lincolnshire ca. 1626–1704 London)
- Engraver: Richard Gaywood (British, ca. 1630–1680 London (?))
- Publisher: John Ogilby (British, Forfarshire 1600–1676 London)
- Date: 1668
- Medium: Etching
- Dimensions: sheet: 12 1/2 x 9 in. (31.8 x 22.8 cm)
plate: 10 1/8 x 7 1/2 in. (25.7 x 19 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Phyllis Lambert, 1954
- Object Number: 54.645.2
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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Francis Barlow
18th century
Multiple artists/makers
1665–75
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1760
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1760
Francis Barlow
ca. 1668
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