This lioness is one of two animal portraits (the other is a horse), and is unusual in that Lee Franclemont gave them both eyes more human than beast. I could be wrong though about lionesses, that they really don’t wear eyeliner; after all, it was the 60s when this portrait was made.

The feeling I always got from this particularly regal character was that she truly was above it all…

Lee Franclemont, lioness, 1968, pastel on paper. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont. Private collection.