A long-lost painting by the Baroque master Peter Paul Rubenswhich had been hidden for more than four centuries, sold for $2.7 million at an auction in Versailles on Sunday.
The painting was recently discovered in a private house in Paris. It represents the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
It was part of a French collection and was initially thought to belong to the many Rubens workshops that existed at the time. The artwork was rarely valued at more than $11,500.
“I immediately had a passion for this painting, and I did everything I could to try to authenticate it,” auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat told The Associated Press. “And, finally, we managed to be authenticated by the Rubenianum, that is, the Antwerp Rubens committee.”
Osenat told AFP earlier this year that the painting was “a masterpiece” that Rubens painted when he was “at the height of his talent”.
Michel Euler / AP 
The painting was authenticated by German art historian Nils Buttner, known for his research on the Flemish Baroque master, Osenat said. Its provenance was verified through X-ray imaging and pigment analysis methods, he added.
Büttner explained before the auction that the master often painted crucifixions but rarely depicted “the crucified Christ as dead on the cross.”
“So this is the only painting that shows blood and water coming out of the wound in Christ’s side, and it’s something that Rubens only painted once.”
The Osenat auction house said the painting’s authenticity and provenance were confirmed after scientific examination. Microscopic examination of the paint layers revealed not only white, black and red pigments in the areas representing flesh, but also the blue and green pigments that Rubens used to paint human skin.
Art expert Eric Turquin told a packed house that painting had almost disappeared by the early 1600s. It is known to have belonged to the 19th century French classical painter William Bouguereau before being passed down through the family.
Although Rubens produced many works for the Church, the painting, measuring 42 x 29 inches, may have been created for a private collector.
In recent days, a lot of paintings by famous artists have been sold at auctions.
Last week, the until then unknown French impressionist painter Auguste Renoir, the work of his young son Jean It sold for $2.08 million At an auction in Paris.
Also in November, a self-portrait by the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo It sold for $54.66 million In New York, a record of a painting of a woman. Two nights before that, a Gustav Klimt canvas It grossed $236.4 million — a record of a piece of modern art.