Recumbent Lion, Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1660
reed pen and brown ink, with some areas deliberately rubbed with a finger or wet brush, on paper toned with a light brown wash; framing line in brown ink, h 122mm × w 212mm Catalogue entry
Rembrandt had the ability to depict poses and mental states faultlessly, and not only of people. Everything about this powerful lion indicates that Rembrandt saw it in reality and wanted to record it before it moved. The head and squinting eyes are especially well drawn. He created shadows by smudging the ink in places with his fingers.
