James Lewin, The King of the East, 2021

18 x 30 in - Ed of 8
28 x 46 in - Ed of 8

James Lewin’s The King of the East (2021) is a commanding portrait of raw majesty and fragile endurance within the African wilderness. Captured in the artist’s hallmark black-and-white style, the image presents a lion resting atop a rocky outcrop — poised, powerful, and contemplative. The composition distills the essence of sovereignty and solitude, offering a rare, intimate glimpse into the quiet dignity of one of nature’s most revered beings.

Lewin’s lens transforms the lion from a symbol of dominance into one of introspection. Every detail — the coarse texture of its mane, the weathered folds of its skin, the focused gleam in its eyes — speaks to the layered narrative of survival and wisdom. The absence of color heightens the drama, allowing the viewer to focus on form, light, and emotion. The interplay between the lion’s dark mane and the pale, open sky creates a striking contrast that mirrors the balance between strength and vulnerability, ferocity and grace.

Unlike traditional wildlife photography that captures action or spectacle, Lewin’s work elevates stillness to the sublime. His approach reflects deep respect for the animal and its environment, rooted in conservation awareness and a fine-art sensibility. The lion’s gaze — steady yet distant — suggests both dominion over the land and an awareness of its impermanence, a quiet metaphor for the ecological fragility that defines our era.

In The King of the East, Lewin achieves more than documentation — he achieves communion. The photograph is both elegy and homage, a testament to the enduring power of the natural world and the moral responsibility of those who bear witness to it. Through tonal precision and emotional restraint, Lewin crafts an image that transcends photography — a timeless emblem of nobility, resilience, and the vanishing wild.