How come there is never a Rembrandt in my attack? Not even a Miro.
Posted on 09/04/2024 4:33:48 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Typically, items stowed away in your attic are either Christmas decorations or maybe some old suitcases. Well, an unsuspecting attic in Camden, Maine, was recently found to contain a painting potentially created by the beloved Netherlands artist Rembrandt. Despite being shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, many art collectors viewed the painting as an authentic work when it went under the hammer on August 24th.
The last known Rembrandt portraits in private collections were sold off by Christie’s Auction House last year, therefore, this newly uncovered piece in Maine provided a rare opportunity for collectors to get their hands on one of the artist’s works. Depicting a portrait of a young girl on a dark background, the work was discovered when Kaja Veilleux from Thomaston Place Auction Galleries made a routine house call to appraise some pieces.
“We often go in blind,” the appraiser and founder of Thomaston Place said in a press release, “The home was filled with wonderful pieces, but it was in the attic, among stacks of art, that we found this remarkable portrait.”
Of course, there is no concrete evidence that the painting is a genuine Rembrandt, but its style and, in particular, its use of light is incredibly evocative of the Dutch artist. Furthermore, this is not the first time a Rembrandt has been uncovered in an unlikely setting.
In addition, the back of the beautiful hand-carved Dutch frame, features a slip from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which shows the painting was loaned to the gallery back in 1970 by a Mr. Cary W. Bok. The slip identifies the painting as a Rembrandt, and titles the work Portrait of Girl. However, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has noted that such a slip does not necessarily mean the work is authentic.
As a result of this uncertainty, the painting was auctioned off as work completed “after Rembrant”, with an estimate of $10,000–$15,000. Nevertheless, the sale of the painting dwarfed those estimates, with the bidding commencing at $32,500 and eventually selling to an anonymous collector in the United Kingdom for $1.4million.
It is theorised that the portrait was originally created in the 1630s. During that period, Rembrandt was working as the head of Hendrick Uylenburgh’s studio, focusing largely on portrait commissions. This theory, if true, seems to support the idea that the painting is a genuine piece.
While the final price makes Portrait of Girl one of the most expensive artworks ever auctioned off in Maine, the uncertainty surrounding its authenticity means that, for a Rembrandt, it was fairly cheap. The most expensive work by Rembrandt, Portrait of Marten Looten, sold at auction back in 2015 for a staggering $33.8 million.
How come there is never a Rembrandt in my attack? Not even a Miro.
Thanks nickcarraway.
Best I ever found in an attic was a piano stool, missing the screw elevator and half of a Marlin lever action .22.😕
Have you checked behind the insulation?
I know, right?
Camden Maine is a lovely sea coast town.
Many of the families who have home there are
incredibly wealthy, so I am not that surprised
that this was found in an attic there.
This is “old money” we’re talking about.
Captains mansions and the like.
*sigh*
Hey, cheer up, Nick!
We don’t even HAVE an attic!
*evil grin*
I truly hope you intend to stash some real treasures up there for the next owners of the home to find. Maybe a matching screw elevator and the other half of the lever action .22?
No, I’m going to now.
Pretty girl. Friend of yours?
No it came with the frame.
I am not lucky in this area as well. I’m only lucky in doing stupid stuff that should kill me but never does.
1.4 Million is an awful lot of possible
Like Kamala’s position paper.
My father’s side of the family was related to the Ives of Currier and Ives. There was an original of children in Grandpa’s disheveled old farmhouse. My sister has it now. We never considered finding out what it’s worth. (Not as much as a Rembrandt - LOL!)
What position was she in when she wrote it? 🤪
What’s with the flea collars?
Most I ever found was mice…
Your sister should get it appraised for insurance purposes.
Big Whoop. Some of Hunter Biden’s artwork goes for more than that.
Rembrandt is much more of a better painter 👨🏻🎨 than Hunter will ever be.
I bought an older home and while doing some renovation, I was in the attic and back in one corner behind a chimney tucked under some insulation, I found a Buster Brown shoe box full of early ‘70s football and basketball cards. Among them, 6 Roger Staubach rookies and a couple of Dr. J rookies. Quite a few others currently in the $300-$400 range. Not a bad score.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
