2025-12-04
Last Sunday, 30 November, a painting by Rubens, discovered in September 2024 during an inspection of one of the Paris residences by auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat, went under the hammer.
The painting depicts Christ on the cross, a theme to which Rubens returned many times. It probably belonged to another well-known painter, but one from the 19th century – William-Adolphe Bouguereau, a famous representative of French academicism.
The object has been dated to 1614-15, which means that it was created relatively soon after Rubens' return from Italy to his hometown, Antwerp.
During his trip to Italy, Rubens studied the works of Michelangelo and Tintoretto, among others, whose influences are clearly visible in this phase of his work. Experts describe the work found by Osenat as an excellent example of early Baroque painting.
How was the authenticity of this previously unknown painting confirmed? Osenat entrusted this task to art historian and Rubens specialist Nils Büttner, editor-in-chief of the Flemish painter's catalogue raisonné. In his research, Büttner used, among other things, X-ray photographs and analysis of pigment particles taken from the work.