‘Fingerprints portrait’ sold for over £9m

MARKS Rembrandt work A PAINTING by the Dutch artist Rembrandt thought to carry his fingerprints has fetched £9.4million.

The 1650s work, Study of the Head of a Young Man, is one of a series he painted of the same man.

Two thumbprints were found on the painting when it was examined ahead of a 2011 exhibition.

The painting is just 10in high, but there was global interest when Sotheby’s auctioned the work in London on Wednesday.

The piece had an estimated price of £6million, but bidding only finished when it was sold to a telephone buyer for £9,480,800.

George Gordon, of Sotheby’s, said: “The discovery of the marks in the original layer of paint make their connection to the artist highly credible.” LAUREN SMITH ON HERO SON’S CAR RESCUE

put the hazard lights on before grabbing the wheel and reaching the verge.

He was about to ring 999 from his mum’s phone when another motorist came to help.

Lauren, of Colchester, was rushed to hospital, where doctors diagnosed a possible virus.

She added: “I don’t know how Ben knew what to do. I certainly wouldn’t have done at his age.

“The paramedics were amazed at how he reacted.”

Ben is a year-four pupil at Chase Lane Primary School, in Dovercourt, Essex, where his mum works.

Head Julie O’Mara said: “I’d like to commend him for his bravery. Without his actions, it could have been tragic.

“For someone so young to have displayed such bravery, maturity and quick thinking is very impressive.

“We are all very proud of him and are really glad that the outcome was not a lot worse.”

I don’t know how he knew what to do, but his quick thinking saved us both