Rembrandt lion drawing raises $18m for big cat conservation at US auction

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Ramon Antonio VargasFebruary 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM

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A rare, small chalk drawing of a resting lion by Rembrandt, titled "Young Lion Resting," sold for a record $18 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York City on Wednesday. The sellers, Thomas Kaplan and Jon Ayers, are dedicating the proceeds to Panthera, their wildcat conservation charity. Kaplan, a billionaire philanthropist, stated his desire to attract more people to wildlife conservation through the sale. The drawing, created when Rembrandt was in his early to mid-30s, depicts a leashed lion and is believed to have been drawn from life. It was one of only six known lion drawings by the artist, with the others residing in prominent museums. Panthera aims to ensure the future of wildcats and their ecosystems.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen 35% Rijksmuseum 35% British Museum 40% Amsterdam ×240% Louvre 40% New York City 60% Jon Ayers ×470% Sotheby's ×375% Thomas Kaplan ×480% Panthera ×585% Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (Rembrandt) ×690%

Keywords

rembrandt drawing 100% lion drawing 90% big cat conservation 80% auction 70% panthera 70% wildlife conservation 60% thomas kaplan 60% jon ayers 50% art 40%

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Very Positive

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The Guardian - World News

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Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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rembrandt drawing lion drawing big cat conservation auction panthera wildlife conservation thomas kaplan jon ayers art

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