A long-lost Rubens painting depicting Crucifixion sells for $2.7 million

[Michie]

VERSAILLES, France — A long-lost painting by Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, which was hidden for more than four centuries, sold at 2.3 million euros ($2.7 million) at an auction Sunday in Versailles.

The painting was recently found in a private townhouse in Paris. It depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.



It was part of a French collection and was initially thought to be from one of the many Rubens workshops that existed at the time. The artwork was rarely valued at more than 10,000 euros ($11,500).

“I immediately had a hunch about this painting, and I did everything I could to try to have it authenticated,” auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat told The Associated Press. “And finally, we managed to have it authenticated by the Rubenianum, which is the Rubens committee in Antwerp.”

Continued below.

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2025/12/a-long-lost-rubens-painting-depicting-crucifixion-sells-for-2-7-million

 

[johnnypapa]

You would think we'd get a closer view.

 

[Michie]

Here you go.

You would think we'd get a closer view.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I'm always bemused by how much some works of art cost when their creators often lived in poverty.

Rubens was wealthy for most of his life but there were plenty who struggled financially.

From an AI response -

Artists who died in poverty

Vincent van Gogh: Despite creating work that would later be worth millions, he sold only one painting during his lifetime and relied on his brother, Theo, for financial support.

Amedeo Modigliani: Lived in extreme poverty in Paris, sometimes trading paintings for meals and creating art on scavenged materials.

Paul Gauguin: Died poor and alone, his work not appreciated during his lifetime, though he experienced periods of financial struggle throughout his life.

Rembrandt van Rijn: A successful 17th-century painter who died in poverty after overspending on his art collection and being forced to sell his house and printing press.

Frans Hals: Another Dutch painter who fell into poverty in his later years as his style fell out of fashion, forcing him to sell his belongings.

Claude Monet: The famous Impressionist struggled financially for much of his life and could hardly make a living from his art.

Sandro Botticelli: Once celebrated, he died poor and forgotten after the death of his patron and a shift in artistic style in Florence.

Artists who experienced early poverty

Pablo Picasso: His early years in Paris were marked by extreme poverty, to the point where he reportedly burned some of his own work for warmth. He eventually moved out of poverty and his financial situation improved significantly over time.

 

[Apple Sky]

Here you go.


View attachment 373921

Look at the buildings in the background. Who built them ?

 

[Michie]

It’s a painted depiction of Ruben’s vision of the crucifixion. …so I’m not sure what you mean about who built buildings in a painting?