Lost Rubens crucifixion sells for $2.7M at auction

A long-lost painting by Flemish Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ sold for €2.3 million ($2.7 million) at auction Sunday in Versailles, France, exceeding its estimated value and marking a rare rediscovery in the art world after more than 400 years.cbsnews+6

The artwork, completed in 1613 and measuring 42 by 29 inches, fetched €2.94 million ($3.41 million) including buyer's premiums—nearly double its upper estimate of €1-2 million. The painting had been hidden from public view for centuries in a private Paris townhouse, where auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat discovered it in September 2024 while preparing the property for sale.dallasexpress+6

Authentication and Unique Characteristics

"I immediately had a hunch about this painting, and I did everything I could to try to have it authenticated," Osenat told the Associated Press. The work was confirmed authentic by the Rubenianum, the official Rubens committee in Antwerp, after German art historian Nils Büttner conducted scientific analysis including X-ray imaging, pigment studies, and microscopic examination of paint layers.cbsnews+5

The painting stands apart from Rubens' other crucifixion works. "This is the one and only painting showing blood and water coming out of the side wound of Christ, and this is something that Rubens only painted once," Büttner explained before the auction. The microscopic analysis revealed not only white, black, and red pigments in flesh areas, but also blue and green pigments characteristic of Rubens' technique for depicting human skin.cruxnow+4

Provenance and Rediscovery

The painting had been misattributed to one of Rubens' numerous workshops and was rarely valued at more than €10,000 ($11,500). Art expert Eric Turquin told attendees the work virtually disappeared in the early 1600s shortly after its completion. It later belonged to 19th-century French academic painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau before passing through his family for generations.cbsnews+5

Osenat described the piece as depicting "a crucified Christ, isolated, luminous and standing out vividly against a dark and threatening sky". Unlike Rubens' famous "Christ on the Cross," which portrays the full crucifixion scene with multiple figures, this rediscovered work presents a solitary image of Christ after death. The identity of the winning bidder has not been disclosed.newsweek+4