Rembrandt or not? The canvas of an unknown author was sold for $1.5 million

The painting, which is stylistically very similar to the work of Rembrandt van Rijn, was sold at the Thomaston Place auction in America for almost $1.5 million. The price of the portrait of an unknown author exceeded the initial estimate by 100 times.

The canvas depicts a young girl dressed in a black outfit with a white collar and a cap. It is dated to the beginning of the 1630s. It is interesting that it was at this time that the Dutch artist and engraver worked in the studio of Hendrik van Eilenburch in Amsterdam. There he was engaged in orders for portraits.

Of additional interest was the presence of a label on the back of the canvas stating that this portrait was once loaned to the Philadelphia Museum of Art by descendants of the Bock family, founders of the Curtis Publishing empire. Then the authorship of the picture was attributed to Rembrandt.

However, according to museum officials, such markings are in no way considered official confirmation that Rembrandt is indeed the author of the portrait.

The history of the discovery of the painting is also of interest: it was accidentally discovered during an inspection of an old estate in Camden, Maine. Subsequently, the canvas was purchased by an anonymous collector from Great Britain.

"We often go in blind during house calls, not knowing what we're going to find," said auctioneer Kaya Veyo.

Of course, this is not the first work attributed to Rembrandt. For example, last year Christie's auction became the place of sale of two previously unknown portraits attributed to the Dutch artist. Their price was $14 million.