‘Forgotten’ Rubens that could fetch £3.5million
Grime-covered artwork sold for £78,000 turned out to be an Old Master
It had gathered dust in a family collection for over a century.
But now a portrait of a woman in a black dress and cloak could make £3.5million at auction – after it was discovered to be a masterpiece by Rubens.
the true origins of Portrait Of A Lady were revealed when layers of dirt and varnish were removed.
the 17th century masterpiece had been exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1902 as a work by Rubens – but auctioneers Sotheby’s said its origins had been ‘forgotten about’.
After remaining in a family’s collection, it was sold for £78,000 in 2017. At the time it was catalogued as being from the workshop of Flemish master Rubens, meaning it was thought to have been painted by one of his assistants, possibly overseen by the artist himself. the anonymous buyer, who is now selling the work, hoped it was the real thing so he snapped up the painting and took it to Sotheby’s for experts to assess.
Andrew Fletcher, of the auctioneers, said: ‘It was quite dirty, with 100 years of dirt and old varnish on it.’ But when it was cleaned ‘this rather wonderful Rubens was revealed’. He added: ‘It’s one of those moments that you have a couple of times a year when you walk in and you just have this wonderful instant reaction of glee.’ He described the 1625 portrait as ‘very majestic’. It will be auctioned at Sotheby’s on July 29 with a £2.5million to £3.5million estimate. It will be the first major evening sale in London since lockdown.