FONTAINEBLEAU, France (Reuters) – A painting by 17th century Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens recently discovered in a private mansion in Paris is set to go on auction in France and is roughly estimated to fetch up to 2 million euros ($2.34 million).
The painting, titled "Christ on Cross," depicts an image of Jesus Christ nailed on the Cross with a view of Calvary and the walled city of Jerusalem in the background.
It represents the period of Counter-Reformation, an expression of Rubens' "profession of faith" after converting from Protestantism to Catholicism, auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said.
"Christ on Cross" was thought to have disappeared in 1613, but it quietly remained with the family of painter William Bouguereau in his maison-atelier in Paris, Osenat said.
The painting then found itself in the possession of a mansion owner in Paris, where Osenat later spot it during a sale of artworks in the property.
"We thought it was an important major artwork, but we didn't know what it was," Osenat said, adding that he had to call on the expertise of another auctioneer and the Centrum Rubenianum in Antwerp to authenticate the artwork.
"The real highlight was when I was called to be told that yes, it is a Rubens," he added.
Born in 1577, Rubens is one of the leading figures of the baroque art movement, most known for his use of religious and mythological themes in his pieces.
Osenat said his auction house received the painting in "exceptional" condition with no restoration necessary before its sale on Nov. 30 – a rare event for centuries-old Rubens pieces.