In what might be one of the most thrilling art discoveries of the decade, a painting potentially by Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn was found gathering dust in a Camden, Maine, attic. Titled Portrait of a Young Girl, the artwork was initially appraised for $10,000 to $15,000 but stunned the art world when it sold for $1.4 million at auction. If experts confirm its authenticity as an original Rembrandt, the painting’s value could exceed $15 million.
The heirloom discovery was made by Kaja Veilleux, owner of Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, during a routine appraisal. While sorting through the home’s attic, Veilleux stumbled upon the painting amidst stacks of other artwork. The portrait depicts a young girl dressed in traditional Dutch attire with a ruffled collar and cap, which immediately caught Veilleux’s attention.
A label on the back of the frame indicated that it was previously exhibited at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1970. However, museum officials could not verify the authenticity of the label due to time elapsed and incomplete records.
At the August 2024 auction hosted by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, bidding for the painting quickly escalated. Art collectors from around the globe placed bids, and a European buyer ultimately acquired the piece for $1.4 million. The sale marked one of the highest prices ever recorded for a piece of antique artwork sold in Maine.
Veilleux told local news outlets that artworks of this kind are rarely discovered in the U.S. “Usually they’re found in Europe because that’s where most of them were, but this one made its way to America.”
While the painting’s origins remain under scrutiny, art experts believe it could be worth even more. Mark Winter, a New York-based art appraiser, told news outlets that if further testing attributes the piece to Rembrandt, they could be looking at a $15 million painting.
The painting is now undergoing rigorous analysis by art historians and conservation experts to determine whether it was indeed created by Rembrandt. Identifying a Rembrandt typically often involves examining the artist’s signature brushwork, such as dynamic lighting and lifelike facial expressions, as well as his use of rich, layered pigments. Experts also look for hallmark features of his style, like dramatic contrasts between light and shadow (chiaroscuro) and detailed textures in clothing and skin.
Techniques like X-ray imaging, pigment analysis, and stylistic comparisons will play a critical role in verifying its origins. To be continued.
