VERSAILLES, France. A long lost painting Baroque master Peter Paul Rubenswhich had been hidden for more than four centuries was sold at an auction in Versailles on Sunday for 2.3 million euros ($2.7 million).
The painting was recently found in a private townhouse in Paris. It depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
It was part of a French collection and was originally thought to belong to one of the many Master classes by Rubens what existed at that time. Works of art were rarely valued at more than €10,000 ($11,500).
“I immediately had a feeling about this painting and did everything I could to try to confirm its authenticity,” auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osena told The Associated Press. “And finally we were able to authenticate it at the Rubenium, the Rubens committee in Antwerp.”
Nils Büttner, an expert known for his studies of Rubens, explained before the auction that the master often painted crucifixions, but rarely depicted “the crucified Christ as a dead body on the cross.”
“So this is the only painting that shows blood and water flowing from Christ’s side wound, and Rubens only painted it once.”
The Osenat auction house said that the authenticity and provenance of the painting were confirmed after scientific analysis. It said microscopic examination of the paint layers revealed not only white, black and red pigments in areas depicting flesh, but also blue and green pigments, the use of which is typical of Rubens' depictions of human skin.
Art expert Eric Turkin told the packed house that the painting virtually disappeared in the early 1600s. It is known that before it came into the family, it belonged to the 19th century French classical artist William Bouguereau.
