Darius (2025) Original Oil Painting by Nicolas Maureau

A lioness and her cub resting close enough to touch, a bare torso that reads as vulnerable rather than powerful: this is Darius, from the En Majesté series, where Nicolas Maureau continues exploring power through a seated, almost timeless presence and a gaze that meets the viewer head on.

The lions carry their own symbolism, royalty, power, protection, the qualities long associated with Darius the Great, and their closeness to him suggests a harmony between wildness and man rather than domination over it. The richly patterned shorts, a quiet nod to Persian carpets, contrast with the stripped simplicity of everything around them.

Historical symbolism and contemporary interpretation sit side by side here, less a portrait of conquest than a reflection on power, identity and coexistence.

Materials used:

oil painting

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 97 x 130 x 2cm (unframed) / 97 x 130cm (actual image size)
• Ready to hang
• Signed on the back
• Style: Photorealistic
• Subject: People and portraits