An Unexpected Discovery
During a routine house call to a private estate in Camden, Maine, auctioneer Kaja Veilleux stumbled upon an extraordinary find. Hidden away in the attic was a 17th-century portrait of a young woman wearing a cap and ruffled collar. “On house calls, we often go in blind, not knowing what we’ll find,” said Veilleux, the founder of Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, in a press release. What made this discovery particularly special was a label on the back of the frame suggesting the portrait might be the work of Dutch master Rembrandt.
The label, issued by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, indicated that the painting was loaned to the museum in 1970. However, despite the intriguing possibility, the museum could not confirm the painting’s authenticity. “A slip or label doesn’t necessarily verify a work of art — certainly more work would be required,” said a museum spokesperson via email.
Bidding War Over a Mysterious Portrait
With uncertainty surrounding the painting’s origins, Thomaston Place Auction Galleries chose to list the piece with an estimate of just $10,000 to $15,000, describing it as “After Rembrandt” — a term used for works modeled after an artist’s style but not necessarily painted by them. Despite this, bidders seemed to believe it could be a genuine Rembrandt.
The bidding started at $32,500, more than doubling the high estimate. As the auction progressed, the competition heated up, eventually reaching $1.41 million. Nearly a dozen interested buyers, some calling in from Europe, participated in the sale. According to the auction house, this sale set a new record for the highest price ever paid for an artwork at a Maine auction.
Could It Really Be a Rembrandt?
The question remains: Could this be a long-lost work by Rembrandt? Rembrandt scholar Gary Schwartz weighed in, explaining that a potential buyer had asked for his opinion on the portrait. “I advised the unidentified collector to ‘go for it,’” Schwartz told CNN, adding that there is an “extremely large” chance it was painted by the Dutch master. He also noted the resemblance between the Maine portrait and a known Rembrandt work in the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.
Schwartz pointed out that the painting had even appeared in a 1969 catalog of Rembrandt’s works under the title “Portrait of a young girl,” though the catalog’s author expressed doubts about its attribution. “When paintings fall out of interest, they just disappear into dark space,” Schwartz explained, highlighting how pieces like this can slip through the cracks.
Differing Opinions Among Experts
Not all experts are convinced, however. Art historian Volker Manuth, who was also approached by a potential buyer, expressed skepticism. He mentioned having only seen a “poor black-and-white reproduction” of the painting in the 1969 catalog and maintained that thorough investigation of the original painting is essential before making any definitive claims.
Manuth speculated that the high price paid at auction could be a reflection of hopes that the painting might be a genuine Rembrandt after restoration. “I would not be surprised to see the painting back on the market soon as ‘Rembrandt,’” he said.
The Potential for Reattribution
The world of art attribution is complex and often contentious. The influential Rembrandt Research Project, which played a significant role in evaluating the authenticity of Rembrandt works, ceased operations in 2014. Over the years, many works previously attributed to the artist have been downgraded. However, inclusion in major catalogs and endorsement by big auction houses can dramatically increase a painting’s value, as seen with “The Adoration of the Kings,” which sold for $13.8 million after being reattributed to Rembrandt.
Schwartz suggested that if the Maine portrait receives similar recognition, its value could skyrocket to $5 million, while authentication expert Mark Winter predicted it might even reach $15 million. The final verdict, however, will depend on further examination by scholars and experts.
A Portrait with Untapped Potential
The $1.41 million sale of the Maine portrait suggests that collectors see potential in the painting’s authenticity. As art historian Gary Schwartz proposed, the best course of action would be to compare the portrait directly with known Rembrandt works, such as the one in Vienna. “Nobody should express a definitive opinion without studying the object,” Schwartz cautioned. Whether or not this painting is a long-lost Rembrandt, its future may hold even greater value as experts delve deeper into its mysterious past.