Delacroix created these preliminary images for the nearby Lion of the Atlas Mountains (1927.1646), which would appear in reverse as a result of the printmaking process. Experimenting with several positions for the lion’s prey, and two expressions for the feline itself, this abbreviated sheet suggests several close sessions at the Jardin des Plantes. Ever diligent in his research, Delacroix even sought permission to arrive before the zoo opened to the public, to watch the lions being fed.