Lost for over 400 years, Rubens painting sells for $2.7 million at auction

"The painting, titled Christ on the Cross, was completed in 1613 but soon vanished from public view. For centuries, its existence was known only through engravings, printed reproductions made by other artists. Its whereabouts remained a mystery until the auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat uncovered it in September 2024 during a routine inspection of a Paris home he was preparing to sell."

"So he brought it to the Centrum Rubenianum, the official Rubens committee in Antwerp, Belgium. After a scientific analysis, the painting's authenticity was confirmed by German art historian and Rubens expert, Nils Buttner. He recounted giving Osenat a call in an interview with AFP. "Jean-Pierre, we have a new Rubens!," Buttner recalled telling Osenat, according to AFP. Buttner added that authentication analysis included a microscopic examination of the paint layers, which revealed blue and green pigments consistent with Rubens' treatment of human skin."

"Still, Osenat had doubts that what he stumbled upon was so uniquely valuable. It was initially believed the piece was produced from one of the many Rubens workshops. The painter had set up a large studio where he collaborated on pieces with a team of assistants. Yet Osenat says he had a hunch that maybe this piece was not like all other pieces. "I did everything I could to try and have it authenticated," Osenat told the Associated Press."

The 1613 painting Christ on the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens vanished from public view for more than four centuries. For centuries its existence was known only through engravings and printed reproductions. Auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat uncovered the work during a routine inspection of a Paris townhouse in September 2024. Osenat submitted the painting to the Centrum Rubenianum in Antwerp for scientific analysis. German art historian Nils Buttner confirmed the painting's authenticity after microscopic examination revealed blue and green pigments consistent with Rubens' treatment of human skin. The piece was initially thought to be from a Rubens workshop, and the last known owner was 19th-century painter William Bouguereau before passing down in his family. The painting sold at Osenat auction house in Versailles for €2.3 million.

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