June 24 (UPI) — A Rembrandt painting that was long considered to be lost has been rediscovered after it fell off the wall of a home in Italy and was sent for restoration.
The Italian Heritage Foundation said the painting, The Adoration of the Magi, was painted by the famed artist around 1632-1633, and was considered to be one of Rembrandt’s lost paintings until it fell off the wall of a country home in Rome province in 2016 and was sent to art restorer Antonella Di Francesco for repairs.
Di Francesco said the painting had been darkened by old varnish, but during the cleaning and restoration process it became clear that the work was a long-lost Rembrandt.
The painting was studied by an international team of experts attending a symposium at the French Academy of the Villa Medici in Rome and they confirmed the work appears to be a legitimate Rembrandt.
Guido Talarico, president of the Italian Heritage Foundation, said the family that owns the painting is currently having it stored by art dealers, but it will eventually be made available to museums and galleries. He said they have not expressed an interest in selling the artwork.