The Small Lion Hunt (with One Lion)

The Small Lion Hunt (with One Lion) is an etching created by Rembrandt van Rijn between 1624 and 1634, classified as a print. This work demonstrates the artist's early experimentation with the etching medium, which allowed him a greater freedom and spontaneity than traditional engraving. During this formative decade, Rembrandt refined his use of the etching needle and acid bath to create expressive lines and tonal variations, crucial for depicting dynamic action in miniature scale.

The piece vividly captures a moment of intense confrontation and chaotic energy. Several Men, armed with spears and other close-range Weapons, are shown actively engaged in the perilous act of Hunting a lone Lion. Rembrandt uses dramatic contrast and swift, agitated lines, typical of his innovative approach to prints, to convey the motion and struggle of the figures. Although the artist was based in Holland during the Dutch Golden Age and had no firsthand experience of such exotic Hunting scenes, these dramatic subjects were popular in European art, often symbolizing human power over nature. The visceral sense of peril is palpable as the human figures struggle against the large feline.

This example is one of several hunt scenes that Rembrandt explored early in his career. The mastery of light and shadow achieved through the etching process, lending the small-scale composition significant impact, foreshadows the deeper technical explorations of his later graphic work. Today, many impressions of this celebrated print, including those found in the public domain, allow wide access to Rembrandt's graphic output. This particular impression of The Small Lion Hunt (with One Lion) is held in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing an important early milestone in the artist's development as a printmaker.