Lost painting by Rembrandt found in Rome
The work, belonging to a Roman family, could be worth up to $ 239 million
The discovery was announced by the art historian Marco Mascolo during the “Discovering Masterpiece” symposium held at Villa Medici, the French Academy in Rome. An initiative promoted by the Italian Heritage Foundation which aims to promote moments of cultural and scientific understanding, in Italy and abroad, for the study and dissemination of Italian and international masterpieces in Italian collections.
“Kicking off the ‘Discovering Masterpiece’ project with the discovery of an absolute masterpiece by one of the most beloved artists of all time”, said President Guido Talarico, “is a source of great pride for our Foundation, born with the ‘goal of enhancing Italian private collections by proposing a new approach to collecting. The intent is to share sometimes unpublished works with the general public, as in this case, leaving them in Italy with the aim of raising awareness in our country of the immense potential of one of its flagship assets, such as its artistic heritage. cultural, as a driving force for economic growth “.
The work, “Adoration of the Magi” which dates back to 1632 – 1633 and of which there are also other copies of which the best known are kept in St. Petersburg and Gothenburg, was rediscovered in a completely random way: it was in fact part of the private collections of a Roman family who had no idea it was an original by the Dutch master.
In 2016 an accidental fall from a wall made it necessary to redo the frame and only then, thanks to the intervention of the restorer Antonella Di Francesco, intent on recovering and cleaning the work, the masterpiece came to light, giving way to the Education.
“Nel corso del mio lavoro”, ha dichiarato la restauratrice, “può capitare una delle cose più belle della vita: la coscienza improvvisa di essere davanti ad un’opera di un autore molto grande che ti si rivela, che esce dalla sua zona opaca e ti sceglie per essere riscattato dall’oscurità. È questo il momento in cui bisogna vincere le vertigini capaci di farci sprofondare in quel meraviglioso senso di appartenenza alla storia. É un brivido che non ha pari, che vibra fino a trascinarti in un impulso irrefrenabile di morbosa curiosità. Non lo combatto e mi lascio portare dentro all’incantesimo”.
The work could have a very high value, even beyond the artist’s auction record: in 2009 at Christie’s London a Rembrandt painting sold for £ 20.2 million (roughly $ 33.25 million), but the Roman canvas may even have an estimate of between $ 83.7 and $ 239 million.
