One of Peter Paul Rubens' long-lost paintings, "Christ Crucified," created in 1613, has been sold at auction in France. The masterpiece was discovered last year in a Parisian mansion where it had been kept for more than 400 years.
The painting was initially estimated at 1-2 million euros, but sold for 2.3 million.
Until now, the existence of the painting was known only from an engraving left by a contemporary of Rubens. Its authenticity was confirmed by X-ray and pigment analysis. According to art historians, this is a unique work by Rubens, which depicts the dead Christ on the cross.
The painting belonged to the family of the 19th-century French artist Bouguereau and is now for the first time appearing in public sale.
