Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

A fine, early impression of the only state, with all the fine lines printing clearly. Nowell-Usticke rated the print as 'R+' and noted it as 'a scarce print'. This early impression precedes the later reworking of the shading between the sleeve and the tree, as well as the rounding of the sleeve contour. The scene shows Saint Jerome with his traditional companion, a lion—referencing the legend in which he removed a thorn from the animal’s paw. Here, however, the lion appears more like a large, awkward housecat, likely due to Rembrandt’s lack of firsthand experience with the animal. Trimmed to the platemark. – Minor thinning of the paper and very faint foxing verso. Otherwise in very good condition. Very rare!