Sotheby’s to Offer Rembrandt’s 'Young Lion Resting' from The Leiden Collection

This February, Sotheby’s will offer for sale a masterpiece of draughtsmanship: Rembrandt’s Young Lion Resting. Capturing the power, poise and restless vitality of this majestic creature, this extraordinary work — a rare example of its kind in Rembrandt’s oeuvre — stands among the most important Old Master drawings to come to auction in recent decades. It is also the most significant drawing by Rembrandt to come to auction in a generation.

The only depiction of an animal by Rembrandt remaining in private hands, the drawing has resided for over two decades in the acclaimed Leiden Collection — among the most important private collections of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish art in the world, and home to no fewer than 17 paintings by Rembrandt as well as the only work by Vermeer to remain in private hands. Encapsulating the qualities of power, nobility and stateliness for which the lion has been revered universally throughout history, the drawing will now come to sale with proceeds destined to benefit Panthera, the world’s leading organization devoted to the conservation of wild cats.

When Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, Founder of Panthera and Founder of The Leiden Collection, acquired the drawing in 2005, Young Lion Resting represented his very first Rembrandt purchase — marking the beginnings of a collection which has since grown to become one of the most important private collections of Dutch Golden Age art in private hands today.

Established in 2006, Panthera was born from the shared vision of renowned wildlife biologist Dr. Alan Rabinowitz and philanthropist Dr. Thomas Kaplan — both fierce protectors of wild cats. Its mission is to ensure a future for wild cats and the vast landscapes on which they depend by fostering human-wild cat coexistence and protecting wild cat landscapes through science-directed initiatives.

Panthera’s work is the most comprehensive effort worldwide to conserve the world’s 40 species of wild cats — collaborating with local communities to stop poaching, fight the illegal wildlife trade, and protect vital habitats. With supporters around the world, the organization raises awareness about the threats facing wild cats and works to ensure they survive for generations to come.

Panthera brings unrivalled scientific and technical expertise to bear on the most critical challenges in wild cat species conservation. Panthera has created global conservation programs at scale across 34 countries and continues to grow alongside a network of local partners and communities. With more than 70 PhD/MSc level field scientists and law enforcement expertise drawn from the military, intelligence services, police, and crime sciences, Panthera is a unique force in targeted species conservation.

The Young Lion Resting will be offered in the upcoming Master Works on Paper from Five Centuries auction in New York on February 4th, 2026.

Upcoming Auction

Master Works on Paper from Five Centuries

4 February 2026 | 2:00 PM EST | New York