From attic to auction: A Rembrandt painting sells for USD1.4M

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THOMASTON, Maine (AP) — A Rembrandt discovered in an attic sold for USD1.4 million.

The 17th century painting, “Portrait of a Girl,” by Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was discovered by art appraiser and auctioneer Kaja Veilleux in an attic in an estate in Camden, Maine. A label on the back of the frame noted that it was loaned to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for an exhibition in 1970.

“On house calls, we often go in blind, not knowing what we’ll find,” said Veilleux, from Thomaston Place Auction Galleries. “The home was filled with wonderful pieces but it was in the attic, among stacks of art, that we found this remarkable portrait.”

This undated photo provided by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries shows a 17th century painting, “Portrait of a Girl,” by the Dutch artist Rembrandt, which was sold at auction for USD1.4 million on Aug 24 by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Thomaston, Maine. PHOTO: AP

The painting had been in private family ownership since the 1920s, and the painting stayed with the family after being displayed in Philadelphia, the business said. The owner was not identified.

As to how it ended up in the attic, that, too, was a mystery.

Rembrandt, born in 1606, was a prolific artist who focused on a variety of subjects, from portraits to landscapes to historical and biblical scenes.

“Portrait of a Girl” was painted on an oak panel and mounted in a hand-carved gold Dutch frame, said Veilleux.

An auction by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries yielded a fierce competition on Aug 24, he said. In the end, a European collector paid USD1.41 million for the painting.