Seen with head inclined upward and hands clasped, it is likely that Rembrandt intended this depiction of the youthful Jesus as a study for a Christ in the Garden of Gethsemene, a subject he treated in several intensely moving drawings and an etching, but in no surviving painting. Regardless of the ultimate intention, this work stands today as a testament to Rembrandt’s mastery of handling paint on a reduced scale, and his ability to render human emotions. Of this particular sketch, the great art historian Jacob Rosenberg wrote that it “moves a step further from reality toward a more idealized expression of mildness and humility. But Rembrandt’s transition from the realistic to the imaginary is so subtle, that it is almost impossible to draw a borderline between the two.”

Event: On Friday 30 November, join conservator Michel van de Laar at Sotheby’s London to find out more about what he and Dr Arie Wallert discovered during the examination and cleaning of the painting, and how much they learnt from this about how Rembrandt painted. Further details to be announced soon.