A long-lost painting by Flemish Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens has been uncovered in a Paris mansion, French auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat confirmed on Wednesday, September 10. The discovery has been hailed as one of the most important art finds in recent years.
The work, a striking sketch of Jesus Christ on the cross, was painted in 1613 during what experts describe as the height of Rubens’ creative powers. Osenat, head of the Osenat auction house, called the piece “a masterpiece” and “a true profession of faith.”
The painting was found in September 2024 while Osenat’s team was preparing to sell a private mansion in the city’s affluent 6th arrondissement. Hidden among the property’s belongings, the artwork had gone unnoticed for decades until its extraordinary reemergence.
Experts quickly began authentication efforts. German art historian Nils Büttner, a renowned Rubens scholar, led the verification process. Techniques such as X-ray imaging and pigment analysis confirmed the canvas’s authenticity, establishing an unbroken provenance. “Jean-Pierre, we have a new Rubens!” Büttner reportedly told the auctioneer after his analysis.
Measuring 105.5 by 72.5 centimeters, the painting depicts a crucified Christ illuminated against a dark, threatening sky—a subject Rubens revisited throughout his career after converting from Protestantism to Catholicism. Osenat emphasized its importance as an early Baroque work, noting its emotional power and religious intensity.
Though Rubens created many works for churches and cathedrals, experts believe this painting was likely intended for a private collector. Historical records suggest that the painting may once have belonged to 19th-century French academic painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau before being passed down to the mansion’s later owners.
The painting’s condition has astonished specialists, described as “very good” despite its age. Its rediscovery provides new insight into Rubens’ early 17th-century artistic evolution and offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire an authenticated work of this magnitude.
Osenat described the moment of confirmation as unforgettable. “I was pacing back and forth while the experts deliberated. When the call came, it felt like a miracle,” he said.
The artwork is scheduled to be auctioned on November 30, and anticipation in the art world is already running high. Specialists predict that the sale will attract global interest, with collectors, museums, and cultural institutions vying for the chance to secure the masterpiece.
As the auction approaches, the rediscovered Rubens has reignited excitement among art historians and enthusiasts alike. For many, the painting represents not just a remarkable rediscovery but a bridge across four centuries of cultural history—an emblem of how treasures of the past continue to resurface in the most unexpected of places.
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