The Small Lion Hunt, with One Lion

The Small Lion Hunt, with One Lion by Rembrandt van Rijn, dating from 1629, is a remarkable early print executed on paper. This vigorous scene captures the high drama of the hunt, depicting mounted and foot hunters engaged in a chaotic struggle with a single, powerful lion. The choice of the hunting motif was common in Baroque art, allowing artists to explore intense emotion, violent movement, and the dramatic interplay between man and nature.

Executed during Rijn’s formative years in Leiden, this work demonstrates his precocious ability to handle complex, large-scale action within a relatively small format. While Rijn is primarily known for his meticulous detail and psychological portraits, early prints like this one reveal an interest in dynamic, theatrical narrative, possibly influenced by the energy inherent in contemporary Italian and Flemish Baroque compositions. The chaotic motion and the sense of immediacy are conveyed through rapid, angular lines, showcasing the young artist's developing mastery of the printed medium. The interplay of dark shadow and bright highlights heightens the tension, focusing the viewer’s eye on the central conflict.

This powerful example of early seventeenth-century Dutch prints is highly valued within the artist’s catalogue, documenting his stylistic evolution. It offers insight into the range of Rijn’s thematic concerns before he turned almost exclusively to biblical subjects and portraiture. As a key document of his development, the print is preserved in the prestigious collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it contributes significantly to the museum’s extensive holdings of works on paper from the Dutch Golden Age.