What’s more thrilling than discovering buried treasure?
Finding a forgotten Rubens masterpiece sitting quietly in a Paris mansion.
That’s exactly what happened when auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat stumbled upon a 1613 painting of Christ on the cross.
It was a work he later called “a masterpiece” created when Rubens was “at the height of his talent.”
Expected to fetch up to two million euros, the painting blew past estimates, selling for a stunning 2.94 million euros ($3.41 million) at auction.
Not bad for a canvas that had essentially vanished from public knowledge for centuries.
For years, the artwork existed only through an engraving made by one of Rubens’ peers.
Rediscovered Baroque Masterpiece
Historians referenced it, described it, even catalogued it — without ever seeing the original.
Eventually, it ended up with 19th-century painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau and stayed quietly in his family.
Its reappearance sparked intense verification.
German art historian Nils Buttner confirmed the attribution, while experts authenticated its materials using X-rays and pigment analysis.
The result? A striking early Baroque vision: Christ illuminated against a storm-darkened sky.
“A crucified Christ, isolated, luminous… this is the beginning of Baroque painting,” Osenat said.
Who knew a routine mansion appraisal would reopen a lost chapter of art history?
Sometimes, the past really does knock on your door — frame included.
