A dirty, monochrome brown painting with serious condition problems. But a Biblical scene with Rembrandt-like features. Christie’s Amsterdam consulted experts for a year and a half. The verdict of the experts: no Rembrandt.
The auction house described the maker of The Adoration of the Kings in the catalog as “Ambient Rembrandt”. Target price for this painting smaller than an A4: 10,000 to 15,000 euros. Several bidders apparently saw a Rembrandt in it after all: the Biblical scene changed hands on Wednesday afternoon for 860,000 euros.
Sander Bijl of Kunsthandel Bijl-Van Urk in Alkmaar was the so-called underbidder: he made the second-highest bid. He was willing to go that far because in his eyes it is a painting with “a lot of potential”. According to him, some background figures and the light on the faces point to an early Rembrandt from his Leiden years. “Late 1627, early 1628,” he says.
Also read this obituary by Rembrandt expert Ernst van de Wetering: A Rembrandt was only a Rembrandt when he said it
Previous owner ‘super satisfied’
The future will show, Bijl says, whether his assumption is correct. If it turns out to be a real Rembrandt, he believes it will be worth between 6 and 8 million euros.
Christie’s director Arno Verkade does not want to say who the buyer is or where he comes from. He does want to say that the previous owner is a German private person who is “super satisfied” with the proceeds.
Bob Haboldt, another well-known old master dealer, speaks of “an incomprehensibly high yield.” He has taken a good look at the panel on the viewing days, he says. “It really has nothing to do with Rembrandt.”