A long-forgotten 17th-century painting, believed to be the work of the renowned Dutch master Rembrandt, was recently discovered in an attic in Maine. Titled “Portrait of a Girl,” the artwork was found by Kaja Veilleux, an art appraiser and auctioneer, during a routine visit to a private estate in Camden, Maine.
The painting, which was in impeccable condition for its age, was tucked away among a collection of heirlooms and antiques in the attic. It depicts a teenage girl wearing a ruffled white collar and a cap, painted on an oak panel and mounted in a hand-carved gold Dutch frame. The piece had been in private family ownership since the 1920s and was even loaned to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1970, according to a label found on the back of the frame.
During an auction on August 24, the artwork sold for an impressive $1.41 million to an unnamed European collector. Three phone bidders vied for the painting, with the European collector emerging victorious in the end. Zebulon Casperson, who represented the winning bidder, described the sale as a “shared victory” and expressed his surprise at closing a deal for over a million dollars.
While the painting has not yet been authenticated, experts believe that if it is confirmed to be a genuine Rembrandt, its value could skyrocket to around $15 million. Mark Winter, an authentication expert, noted that discovering new paintings by Rembrandt is a rare occurrence, making this find even more remarkable.
Artworks of this caliber are typically found in Europe, making the discovery of “Portrait of a Girl” in the United States particularly unusual. Veilleux emphasized the rarity of such discoveries in the U.S., highlighting the significance of this find in the art world.
As experts work to authenticate the painting, its true value and historical significance will become clearer. For now, the mystery of how this valuable artwork ended up in an attic in Maine continues to captivate art enthusiasts and collectors alike.
