Art has an extraordinary capacity to surprise, and this story is a testament to that. Imagine buying a seemingly unremarkable painting, only to discover that it is actually an early work by the legendary Dutch master Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.
This story began two years ago, when the painting was valued at $15,000. Since 1960, "The Adoration of the Kings" was believed to be a painting created by a student of Rembrandt who attended the artist's school. This was announced by the German art historian Kurt Bauch, to whom "Adoration of the Kings" was known only from a black-and-white photograph.
However, a recent statement by Christie's auction house experts proved the opposite - the painting was painted by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.
The painting in question was originally attributed to an unknown artist and remained in a private collection for years. However, this monochrome work, experts now believe, was created early in Rembrandt's career, around 1628, when he was about 22 years old, during his time in the Dutch city of Leiden.
"Adoration of the Kings" is a canvas of a religious theme, the plot of which depicts the meeting of the Three Wise Men and the baby Jesus. It is believed that the earliest mention of this painting dates back to 1714.
Later, the painting was put up for sale in 1814 and 1822, after which it was forgotten for a while. And this continued almost until the middle of the 20th century, when it was included in the exhibition in the 1950s.
Since the 1960s, the work has been completely ignored in the literature when it comes to Rembrandt's work. It is believed that one of the reasons for this is the statement of the German art historian Kurt Bach.
However, the painting displayed the hallmarks of Rembrandt's talent, from the flawless use of light and shadow to the emotional depth of the subject's expression. And after long-term research and discussions with experts on Rembrandt's work, the canvas is valued at 18.3 million dollars.
The discovery of an early Rembrandt painting was a game-changer for both the owner and the art world as a whole.
Source: onlineonly.christies.com
