Forgotten for Years, This ‘Fake’ Rembrandt Could Unlock a Multi-Million Dollar Secret.
As Artnet News reports, the shocking discovery has come nearly 50 years after the 388-year-old artwork was cast as inauthentic by experts. The true revelation was discovered only after the painting was sent to New York University for conservation and cleaning.
As the conservators worked on the piece — removing layers of thick varnish and oil paint — they began to see the skillful artistry in the brushstrokes, which looked a lot like Rembrandt’s handwork. Had this Rembrandt knockoff actually been painted by the Dutch master himself?
To be sure, conservators began examining the painting using advanced tools such as infrared reflectography and scanning electron microscopy:
As they worked to uncover the truth of the painting’s creator, conservators found that the brushstrokes on the centuries-old piece were extremely consistent with those of Rembrandt — too close to be the work of a copycat or a student.
“We can see it with new eyes now,” Elaine Mehalakes, the museum’s vice president of curatorial affairs, said. “There’s a glow that was obscured before. And it has a weight that’s been brought to it in terms of the scholarly attention that it’s getting.”
Outside experts also examined the painting and agreed that it was an authentic Rembrandt. The confusion around paintings’ true attribution is not uncommon, particularly for works by this artist. After all, Rembrandt worked with a lot of students at his studio. As part of their training, they were often instructed to replicate his already-produced work.
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