October 27, 2007
It only takes two
This seems like a case of shared misplaced optimism, to the consignor's great benefit:
A painting given a reserve of £1,500 sold for more than £2m at auction after bidders became convinced it was a Rembrandt self portrait.Full story here.The work had hung on the wall of a house in Cirencester for several years before being sold in the town. . .
Deciding to do some more research on the painting, [auctioneer] Mr Allwood spoke to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Experts there assured him that, while it was of the period of Rembrandt, it was "probably not" painted by him.
UPDATE: The BBC writeup doesn't mention it, but apparently quite a few London dealers were in on the bidding, and this article from the Netherlands indicates that the picture has a good chance of being right. Jan Six and Johnny van Haeften are cited as thinking the odds a reasonable gamble at the price -- and even if it isn't autograph, the odds are very strong indeed that it is at least a contemporary work from Rembrandt's immediate circle, thus sharply limiting the downside.
Posted by David on October 27, 2007 11:40 AM
This discovery makes one want to go to everry flea market and yard or attic sale just to see what turns up. The world is certianly a richer palce for the discovery and makes one wonder what treasures remain to be recognized or rediscovere. If only the library at Alexandria had had a scanner or photocopier.
Posted by: Donald Wolberg on October 27, 2007 3:59 PM
I'd have paid £1500 for it even if it's fake.
Posted by: dearieme on October 27, 2007 7:06 PM
Art is fake, but it is also expensive, including the fake itself. I think the winning bidder now either satisfied or deceived with the painting.
Posted by: Gatholoco on October 28, 2007 7:04 AM
I found a Diego Rivera from 1923 in a friends house. He had gotten it from his grandmother in Detroit who claimed that the artist had given it to her personally(when he was painting the Detroit mural in the early 1930's). The entire family always laughed at Grandma.
Turns out after I told him that I was pretty sure it was real, just not of his more famous style(and the color threw everyone off because the resin that he used at the time on his cavases changed color over time), he got it appraised..and I was right.
So you never know what you will find. You just have to have a good eye, instinct, and the ability to research.
Posted by: Circe on November 8, 2007 12:53 AM
cronaca.com