The most important Rembrandt drawing to hit the auction market in 50 years is coming to Saudi Arabia.
The Dutch painter’s Young Lion Resting, estimated at $15–20 million, will be on public view in Diriyah’s Bujairi Terrace this week. The pre‑sale exhibition of various works will be open all week, leading up to an open‑air auction Jan. 31 (which, unfortunately, the Rembrandt is not a part of) in the Diriyah amphitheater before the lion heads to Sotheby’s New York on Feb. 4.
What is up for auction is still remarkable. The full lineup of “Origins II,” Sotheby’s second Saudi auction, mixes Middle Eastern artists with international icons like Picasso and Warhol across 64 lots. With Art Basel headed to Doha next month, Frieze following in Abu Dhabi, and museum-grade storage on the rise, the region is steadily cementing itself — and its tax-friendly reputation — as a collector’s haven.