A long-lost painting by Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens was unearthed in a Paris mansion and sold at auction Sunday for €2.94 million (approximately $3.18 million USD), marking a rare addition to the artist’s known body of work [[1]]. The rediscovery of the 17th-century work, depicting the crucifixion of Christ, underscores the potential for hidden treasures within private collections and the continuing value of old Master paintings [[2]], [[3]]. Auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat described the painting as “rarissime” and a key work in the advancement of Baroque art.
A painting by Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, lost for centuries, has been discovered in Paris and sold for €2.94 million (approximately $3.18 million USD) at auction, according to art auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat. The artwork, depicting the Christ crucified, was found in September 2024 during the inventory and sale of a private mansion in Paris’s 6th arrondissement.
The rediscovery of a work by such a significant artist is a “rarissime” event, Osenat stated. The painting portrays a solitary, luminous Christ on the cross, dramatically set against a dark and foreboding sky. Osenat described the piece as marking “the very beginning of Baroque painting.”
“This is a true profession of faith and a favored subject for Rubens, a Protestant converted to Catholicism,” Osenat explained in September. Rubens explored the theme of Christ’s crucifixion on at least three other occasions, with one of his most renowned depictions currently housed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The sale underscores the enduring appeal of Old Master paintings in the art market, and highlights the potential for significant discoveries even within established collections. The auction price reflects the painting’s historical importance and artistic merit, cementing Rubens’s legacy as a pivotal figure in art history.
