Rubens’ painting of crucifixion fetches £2m at auction after it was lost for four centuries
Rubens’ Crucifixion of Jesus Christ sells for £2m
- A long-lost masterpiece by Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, sold for €2.3 million (£2 million) at auction in Versailles.
- The painting was recently discovered in a private Parisian townhouse after being hidden for over four centuries.
- It had previously been mistakenly attributed to one of Rubens' workshops and was rarely valued at more than €10,000 (£8,700).
- Its authenticity was confirmed by the Rubenianum committee in Antwerp and through scientific analysis of its paint layers.
- Experts noted its unique depiction of blood and water from Christ's side wound, a feature Rubens only painted once.