Fingerprints, thought to be those of Rembrandt, revealed on rare oil sketch

Buried in the original layer of paint in the lower edge of the 17th-century oil sketch are two fingerprints – presumably those of the painting’s creator – Rembrandt van Rijn. Pressed into wet paint, the prints, which are most certainly impressions of the artist’s thumb, had been hidden underneath overpaint and darkened varnish layers and were only recently discovered during technical examination and restoration. The distinguishing marks, while difficult to prove conclusively, are believed to be the only known fingerprints of the Dutch master. A highlight of Sotheby’s Old Masters Evening Sale on 5 December, Study of a Head of a Young Man, a little-known masterpiece, will be offered with an estimate in the region of £6 million. A touching portrayal of Christ, the work until recently hung in the artist’s house in Amsterdam and comes to the market for the first time in 60 years.