iStock/Thinkstock(AMSTERDAM) — A new painting by Rembrandt has been discovered by an art dealer and historian who bought the work from Christie’s in London. It is the first unknown work by the Dutch master to turn up in 44 years.
Suspecting that the unsigned, undated work attributed to Rembrandt’s apprentices was really done by the master himself, Jan Six, the man who bought the painting for $185,000, conducted historical research and technical investigations to prove his theory.
His claim is supported by 15 curators and art historians, including Ernst van de Wetering, widely acknowledged as the Rembrandt expert.
Painted around 1634, “Portrait of a Young Gentleman” goes on display today at The Hermitage in Amsterdam and will be on view to the public until June 15. Six plans to put it on sale following the exhibition.
The most recent Rembrandt found was sold for $4 million and the current record for the artist’s work is $33.2 million.
“Real discoveries are very, very rare. A discovery like this is probably once in a lifetime,” Six told The Financial Times.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.