Géza Vastagh (Hungarian, 1866-1919), A Recumbent Lion

Oil on mahogany panel, signed at upper left, with later inscriptions to verso of panel, framed.

9 7/8 x 19 5/8 in.; Frame dimensions 13 1/2 x 23 1/4 in.

Private Collection, Richmond, Virginia

Géza Vastagh was a Hungarian painter known for his powerful and lifelike depictions of animals, especially lions and tigers. Born into an artistic family in Kolozsvár, his father, György Vastagh, was a painter, and his brother a sculptor, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and gained early recognition when Emperor Franz Joseph I purchased one of his works "Resting Peasant." Vastagh traveled to North Africa and France to study wildlife in its natural environment, which deeply influenced his richly detailed animal paintings. He exhibited internationally, including at the Paris Salon and the 1900 Exposition Universelle. His work remains in major Hungarian collections including Hungarian National Gallery and the Hungarian Agricultural Museum.

The recumbent position of the lion in this painting appears to be closely related to, and may indeed represent a preparatory study for, the larger work by the same artist that was sold at Christie’s 19th Century European Art auction in November 2012. That painting, according to the catalogue entry, depicts an ‘Atlas-Lion’ regally posed in a snowy landscape. The catalogue entry references a letter from the artist’s granddaughter, which provides valuable context about its creation. She notes that the artist spent four months in the Atlas Mountains in Algeria / North Africa in 1898, following a national art competition win, with the intention of gathering spring motifs. However, an unexpectedly harsh winter—with heavy snowfall—posed challenges for plein air work.

Two very small paint flakes to background under lion's mane; no evidence of retouch or restoration visible under UV light.