Home / Environment / Rembrandt Lion Sketch Fetches Record $18M for Big Cat Conservation
Rembrandt Lion Sketch Fetches Record $18M for Big Cat Conservation
7 Feb
Summary
- Rembrandt's 'Young Lion Resting' sold for a record $18 million at auction.
- Proceeds from the sale will directly benefit the Panthera charity.
- The artwork's sale surpassed the previous record for a Rembrandt drawing.
A delicate chalk drawing by the Dutch master Rembrandt, titled "Young Lion Resting," has commanded a record-shattering price of $18 million at a recent Sotheby's auction in New York. This remarkable sale sets a new benchmark for a Rembrandt drawing, significantly surpassing the previous record of $3.7 million.
The proceeds generated from this significant sale have been pledged to Panthera, a prominent charity focused on the conservation of wild cats worldwide. This philanthropic endeavor was championed by philanthropist Thomas Kaplan and his associate Jon Ayers, who expressed a deep commitment to both art and wildlife preservation.
"Young Lion Resting," created during Rembrandt's artistic peak in Amsterdam, depicts a lion with extraordinary detail, capturing its vitality and power. Sotheby's noted that seeing a live lion would have been rare in Europe at the time, suggesting Rembrandt may have drawn it from life.
Panthera, co-founded by Kaplan and wildlife biologist Alan Rabinowitz, works to ensure the future of all 40 species of wild cats and protects their essential habitats. The organization also actively collaborates with local communities to combat poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
