Rembrandt’s ‘Young Lion Resting’ Sells for $18 Million at Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s auctioned a rare Rembrandt drawing titled ‘Young Lion Resting’ for nearly $18 million. This sale places the 17th-century Dutch master’s work among the most valuable Old Master Drawings ever sold at auction. Gregory Rubenstein, Head of Old Master Drawings at Sotheby’s, told Reuters on January 30 that it is ‘the most substantial and important Rembrandt drawing to appear at auction in over 25 years.’ Only six known lion studies by Rembrandt exist today—five reside in museum collections, making this the last in private hands. The drawing depicts a still, watchful lion with intense focus beyond the frame. Rembrandt’s technique heightens tension: bold chalk strokes show two positions of the left leg, while microscopic, precise lines render the face with absolute stillness and intensity—an evocation of silent threat. Created circa 1638–1642, the work reflects Rembrandt’s deepening observational skill after firsthand exposure to lions brought to the Netherlands in the 17th century. Proceeds from the sale benefit Panthera, a nonprofit dedicated to wild cat conservation.