Zodiac Poster - Leo

Poster of the original painting from the Zodiac series by Jake Baddeley. Leo (July 23 -August 22) Leo is associated with the summer sun. The noble lion has always been regarded as a creature of kingly attributes and the constellation has a very ancient association with royalty and authority. The main star of Leo is Regulus a diminutive of its earlier form Rex, meaning King. The same title was given to it by the ancient Babylonians. Along with Fomalhaut, Aldebaran and Antares it was one of the four ‘Guardians of Heaven’, stars which marked the four cardinal points linked to the direction of south and the culminating point of the Sun; Regulus was the natural symbol for glory and the height of power. In Greek myth Leo depicts the lion of Nemea, which Hercules was commanded to kill as the first of his twelve labours. These are therefore the qualities associated with a Leo personality and the general mood I tried to imbue the painting with. More on Jake Baddeley: www.jakebaddeley.com